VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh topped in the country by achieving more than 60 points in the latest State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2022. It showed the most improvement in energy efficiency parameters compared to the last year’s SEEI. Notably, the SEEI-2022 was launched by Union Minister for Power R K Singh recently.
Four other states— Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan and Telangana—are also among the front-runners along with Andhra Pradesh. AP received 77.5 points in SEEI-2022. The State improved by 53 per cent compared to its SEEI 2020 score of 50.5. The major accomplishments of the State to achieve a higher SEEI score are the notification of the Energy Conservation Building Code and amendments to build by-laws in 123 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) as well as the Eco-Niwas Samhitha training in the building sector, energy audits in Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) clusters, introduction of 296 e-vehicles in government departments and another 100 e-vehicles in AP State Road Transport Corporation for government use etc.
To achieve the nationally determined contribution goals and transition to a net-zero economy by 2070, the Union Ministry of Power-led Bureau of Energy Efficiency emphasised the immediate need for tracking progress of energy efficiency and outcomes periodically through SEEI towards managing energy footprint of all the States, driving energy efficiency policies and programmes at the State and local level.
Disclosing the above, the Director General of BEE Abhay Bakre said collaboration between Union and State governments, judicious resource allocation, policy alignment and regular tracking energy efficiency progress through SEEI is essential to contribute effectively to the nation’s climate commitments and ensure sustainable development with energy transition.
The SEEI-2022 has an updated framework of 50 indicators aligned with national priorities. Programme-specific indicators have been included this year to track outcomes and impacts of energy efficiency.
Areas for improvement identified
The SEEI develops energy efficiency programme ideas, improves data collection and enables cross-state collaboration. It helps the States in identifying the areas for improvement, learn and implement best practices, and adopt an economy-wide approach to energy efficiency implementation. It aim at driving de-carbonization efforts