Cement, Energy and Environment

THEBUREAUOFENERGYEFHOENC~ INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING AND LOCATION ISSUES- PART II S. Padmanaban Senior Adviso~ Energy and Environment USAID Fax:4198612/ 8454 E-mail: spadmanaban@usaid.gov With the advent of the Energy Conservation Act (ECA), the focus has now turned to the issues that govern the ins titutional d esign, organizational structure and location of BEE. It is important that before the institutional designing process is started, the va rious models applicable in the Indian context are addressed. This would form the basis for evolving an organiza tional s tra tegy for BEE and enable d rawing of up an acceptable work plan. Given the interna tional experience and India's own uniqu e si tua tion , the institutional framework for the country's national energy efficiency programme could comprise three interrelated units: • An apex group responsible for policy planning and sectoral coordination + A research wing within the policy group, a imed a t data analysis, programme eva lua tion and for s timulating development of energy e ffici ency standards and market transformation. + A centre for energy conservati on responsible for programme planning and implementa tion. Given the arguments above and their merit it would be important to locate BEE within the Ministry of Power (MoP) as proposed in the Energy Conservation Act (ECA). It will enable the policy research wing of BEE located in proximity to work closelywith other with other national bodies loca ted in Delhi . The policy group of BEE located in Delhi will be supported by an energy efficiency marketing and finance group, which in effect will be the implementation arm of BEE. India toda y faces a cluster of issues of which energy efficiency market aggregation, development of innovative financing and project development approaches(such as ESCOs), mobilizing energy efficiency inves tment capita l including engendering financial intermediation, are key to developing an energy efficiency industry. The role of BEE in this is patently clear. There are good reasons for locating the marketing and finance group, in Mumbai, India's commercial marke t which by its diversity offers the greatest opportunity to help organize and aggrega te the energy efficiency market. Once successfully developed, it is likely to spread and be emula ted in other regions. Testing and valida ting market- driven energy efficiency service d elivery models is therefore a core function of BEE in addi tion to its role in developing energy audit services, establishing voluntary s tandards of compliance among designated consumers, etc. Certif i cation programme for energy professionals A three-tier structure has been recommended to create a viable certification process. The first tier will comprise the Board of Directors (I inu ted to six members) drawn from recogni zed professional institutions or eminent individuals, whose major responsibility w ill be to award the certificate and manage the process. This tier would be supported by an Experts Technical Committee to advise the Board on a variety of issues such as course curriculum, examination a nd eva lua ti on, revis ion of exam papers, updating training ma terial, etc.