Introduction

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 15(d) of the Energy Conservation (EC) Act 2001, all the State Governments / UT Administrations have designated an agency as State Designated Agency (SDA) to coordinate, regulate and enforce the provisions of this Act within the State, either by assigning additional responsibilities to one of the existing departments of the State Government or by establishing a dedicated Stand-Alone SDA for energy efficiency. These agencies differ from State to State with the Renewable Energy Development Agency comprising 44%, Electrical Inspectorate comprising 19%, Distribution Companies comprising 17%, Power Departments comprising 14% and Stand-Alone SDA comprising 6%.

In order to build and strengthen the institutional, technical and financial capacities and capabilities of the SDAs for undertaking energy efficiency activities at the State level, BEE provides financial assistance to the SDAs under two major components cited as below.

• Providing financial assistance to the State Designated Agencies to coordinate, regulate and enforce efficient use of energy and its conservation.
• Contribution to State Energy Conservation Fund (SECF).

The activities covered under each of these components are as follows :

Providing financial assistance to the State Designated Agencies to coordinate, regulate and enforce efficient use of energy and its conservation

• State Partnership for Energy Efficiency Demonstrations (SPEED)

• Implementation of energy efficiency demonstration projects – Demonstration projects mainly in areas of street lighting, water pumping, waste heat recovery and buildings’ retrofitting have been successfully implemented by the SDAs. These projects have been successful in facilitating most of the State Governments in replicating the demonstrated technology through various departments / agencies.
• Implementation of energy efficiency activities in Government schools – Replacement of existing conventional appliances with energy efficient appliances in Govt. schools is undertaken by SDAs under this head.

• Model Energy Efficient Village Campaign – The Model Energy Efficient Village Campaign is initiated to convert villages into model energy efficient villages by replacing existing inefficient electrical equipment / appliances with BEE star rated appliances including household bulbs, street lights, fans, water pumps, etc.

• Institutionalization of Enforcement Machinery at State level – BEE provides financial assistance to the SDAs under this head for the purpose of establishment of an enforcement machinery at the State level and for development of a robust mechanism to enable this machinery discharge its duties / tasks effectively.

• Manpower Support to SDAs – This component enables the SDAs to engage manpower to coordinate, administer, regulate and enforce activities pertaining to energy efficiency within the State.

• State Energy Efficiency Research & Outreach Programme – This component covers the following objectives.

• To strengthen partnership between policy makers and educational institutions to forward the energy efficiency drive.
• To enhance the outreach activities undertaken by SDAs.

• Workshops / Capacity Building of energy professionals – SDAs organize workshops/ capacity building programmes at regular interval to disseminate information regarding energy efficiency to energy professionals like Accredited / Certified Energy Auditors, Energy Managers, Designated Consumers, Financial Institutions, Energy Service Companies (ESCOs), building professionals, architects, ECBC Master Trainers, equipment / appliance manufacturers and retailers, DISCOM officials, etc. and to address issues faced by them.

• Maintenance and updation of Internet Platform and other database created on energy efficiency – All the SDAs have established dedicated website highlighting energy efficiency measures undertaken in the State. The websites are linked with that of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and with other SDAs to facilitate ease of information exchange.

• Analysis and survey of the impact of energy conservation activities by SDAs – SDAs document the outcomes of various energy conservation activities undertaken by them and submit the same to BEE.

​​Contribution to State Energy Conservation Fund (SECF): Section 16(1) of the EC Act, 2001 requires State Governments / UT Administrations to constitute a fund called SECF for the purpose of promotion of efficient use of energy and its conservation within the State. The SECF is used as an instrument to facilitate implementation of energy efficiency projects through market transformation. For undertaking energy efficiency projects, major part of the fund disbursed under SECF is to be earmarked separately as Revolving Investment Fund (RIF). This RIF may be used to finance implementation of various energy efficiency projects. Till date, 31 states have constituted SECF out of which about 25 States have also provided matching contribution.