Audit for energy saving to be mandatory

The government is considering to introduce a new law for mandatory energy auditing by industries, residential and commercial buildings starting from 2016 to ensure efficient use of energy and its conservation, a top official said Thursday.
The ministry of power, energy and mineral resources (MPEMR) has already drafted the proposed law titled 'Energy Efficiency and Conservation Rule,' said a senior official of the MPEMR.
Different industries would have separate deadlines to carry out energy auditing voluntarily before compulsion under the proposed rule, he said.
The energy-intensive industries like chemical fertiliser, steel and re-rolling, textile, and pulp and paper would have the opportunity to continue voluntary energy auditing until 2015 before introduction of mandatory energy auditing from 2016.
Ceramic, cement, jute, sugar, glass, ready-made garment (RMG) and food processing industries would have to undergo mandatory energy auditing from 2017. These industries would have the opportunity for continuing voluntary energy auditing until 2016.
Residential and commercial buildings would have to carry out mandatory energy auditing from 2017 after voluntary energy auditing until 2016.
Pharmaceuticals, brick industry and others would have to carry out energy auditing compulsorily from 2018 and before that, they would have the liberty for voluntary energy auditing.
Under the proposed law, the government would compel consumers to save energy by ensuring efficient use of energy to cope with the mounting demand-supply gap.
Consumers would be given a certain period of time to replace their old and inefficient energy equipment by efficient ones voluntarily. Actions under the legal framework would be taken if the consumers fail to go for efficient use of energy voluntarily.
Under the existing infrastructure, energy efficiency and conservation can save around 2,640 megawatts (MW) of electricity, more than one-third of the country's daily electricity production, a study carried out by the MPEMR revealed.
It would save US$ 6.0 billion worth capital investment.
Efficient use of energy and its conservation would save 1020 MW of electricity from lighting, 30 MW electric ballasts, 520 MW from fans, 360 MW from motors, 70 MW from refrigerators and 640 MW from air conditioners, the study spelled out.
For execution of the proposed law, the government has already trained 99 energy auditors, Joint Secretary of the Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) Siddique Zobair told the FE.
He said more could be trained after assessing the requirement.
Currently energy is being wasted in industries significantly due to absence of such a rule, said Mr Zobair.
Regarding energy-saving buildings, he said, using hollow bricks, insulated paint and keeping sufficient air flow and light could turn a building into an energy-efficient one.
When contacted, Professor Nurul Islam of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) lauded the government's decision to enact such a law.
 "Such law should have been enacted 10 years ago," he said, adding, "Had the law been in place, energy would not have been wasted causing its scarcity in the country."
This is an indicator of civilisation, he added.
Another official said the government earlier frequently called for efficient use of energy, especially in industries for efficient boiler and generator usages.
It also had urged the owners of captive power plants to replace their old and inefficient generators voluntarily for saving energy.
But most of the industry owners did not pay any heed to the government's appeal before. This prompted the government to enact a new law for mandatory energy efficiency and saving.