Energy efficiency to save 1,500 MW per day in Tamil Nadu

Although driven largely by the textile industry, the state also has other enter-prises involved in the manufacturing of vehicle, vehicle parts, electronics, mining and energy, which collectively contribute to the rising energy demand. With an absence of strong regulations for motor standardization, India’s industrial sector is witnessing an increase in energy intensity (units of energy per unit of GDP), weighing more on the rising demand for energy. This has opened the floodgates for companies that provide sustainable solutions and technologies. Giving us an overview of the state of energy efficiency in TN is, Ravichandran Purushothaman, the President of Danfoss India. 

The company is a fully owned subsidiary of the Denmark-based Danfoss Group and serves a wide range of industries with products for like VLT Drives, heating valves, controls and solutions for refrigeration and air conditioning among others. He tells us, “In TN alone, the daily electricity consumption is around 13,500 to 14,500 MW. While the state has been able to overcome the power crisis, given the growth trajectory, there is bound to be demand for more energy and that energy efficiency will become a major contributing factor for India’s economy and will be the key to sustainability. 

With the government keen on attracting industries and organisations showing renewed interest in TN, it is crucial for the state to start exploring the potential of EE interventions. The state has the potential of saving up to 1,500 MW of electricity every day.”  

The Load Generation Balance Report for 2016-17 released by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) said that Tamil Nadu will have a surplus of 11,649 MU of energy, suggesting that the state has been making great strides towards sustainable development. Purushothaman remarks, “Industrial energy efficiency is estimated to be a Rs 34,000 crore investment opportunity.

The first fuel that India can actually afford is Energy Efficiency, as we can start saving right away. The payback of energy efficiency is under two years. From the third year onwards, it’s free. The drives (electronic motor controllers) we manufacture entail a reduced energy investment that amplify output and have the capacity to reduce al-most 10% - 15% of electricity consumption.” 

In June this year, the company had kicked off a multi-city bus tour called the Energy Efficiency Yatra, which was aimed to empower industries to adopt innovations in energy efficient technology. Speaking about the initiative, Purushothaman tells us, “Our focus is directed at industries in the real India, which is the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) segment in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.  Many of them have not yet realised that energy utilisation is a huge part of their balance sheets – from lighting to machinery, to water pumping and more. The real change can begin only when SMEs begin embracing energy efficiency.”