Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy, R. K. Singh released the report of State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-22. The SEEI was released during the RPM (Review, Planning and Monitoring) meeting of States and State Utilities in New Delhi.
The index developed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a statutory body under the Ministry of Power, in association with Alliance for an Energy-Efficient Economy (AEEE), assesses, the annual progress of states and UTs in energy efficiency implementation, for FY 2020-21 and 2021-22.
SEEI 2021-22 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 state-level energy efficiency initiatives.
In SEEI 2021-22, 5 states – Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan and Telangana – are in the Front Runner category (>60 points) while 4 states – Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Punjab – are in the Achiever category (50-60 points). Further, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Chandigarh are the top-performing states in their respective state groups. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh showed the most improvement since the last index.
Launching the index, R. K. Singh said, “As we transition to a low-carbon economy, it is crucial to ensure sustainable development with Energy Transition that ensures no one is left behind. Periodic tracking of states’ energy efficiency progress and outcomes is essential to contribute effectively to the nation’s climate commitments.”
Director General, BEE said, “India is committed to achieving NDC goals and transitioning to a net-zero economy by 2070. This requires collaboration between central and state governments, judicious resource allocation, policy alignment, and regular progress tracking. The SEEI tracks progress in managing states’ and India’s energy footprint, driving energy efficiency policies and programmes at the state and local level.”
The SEEI improves data collection, enables cross-state collaboration, and develops energy efficiency program ideas. It helps states identify areas for improvement, learn from best practices, and adopt an economy-wide approach to energy efficiency implementation. By prioritizing energy efficiency, it aims at driving decarbonisation efforts and achieve a more sustainable future.
The index is designed to help track progress on state goals for energy savings and reduction in emission intensity and outlines the following recommendations to help states drive change in EE which will contribute towards the fulfillment of SDGs and NDC:
- Enabling fiscal assistance for energy efficiency in the focus sectors
- Developing institutional capacity in states and UTs to address emerging needs and challenges in energy efficiency implementation
- Enhancing cross-functional collaborations across financial institutions, energy service companies, and energy professionals in large-scale energy efficiency implementation in states
- Mainstreaming energy data reporting and monitoring across sectors
