The Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) has drafted the ‘Chhattisgarh State Energy Conservation Building Code’ (CGECBC), officials informed.
The code is as per the climatic condition of Chhattisgarh and is under finalisation, they informed.
In the light of above, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has developed a training scheme to provide training on various aspects of the code with the intent of creating a cadre of Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) design professionals and verifiers who would be responsible for building capacities of various stakeholders in the State of Chhattisgarh.
This would entail training by the Master Trainers who would provide training to Architects / Design Professionals, Code Compliance Officials of the State Government / UlBs based on the requirement of the State.
Notably, the BEE introduced the ECBC in the year 2007. This is the nation’s first building energy code and aims to have a major impact on energy efficiency in buildings.
Presently, this code is voluntary and covers minimum energy performance standards for building envelope, HVAC systems, lighting system, service hot water and electrical power. In its voluntary phase, the focus is on developing capacities of engineers and design professionals through training, workshops and preparation of technical reference material.
Notably, in June last year, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) had accorded 'five star rating' to the better energy efficiency practices at the State Mantralaya in Naya Raipur.
The high rating had been provided for better energy management in the Mantralaya’s offices.
The Mantralaya achieved the Energy Display Index of 81.49 which made it eligible for a high BEE rating, officials stated.
The BEE divides buildings and weather on five and three categories respectively under which buildings are categorised as ‘air conditioned’ and ‘non air conditioned’.
The Mantralaya had been accorded rating under ‘air conditioned’ and ‘mixed climate’.
Notably, CREDA will also carry out detailed energy audits of street lights, water pumps and other water pumping systems installed in all municipal corporations of the State, officials informed.
It will also soon get a software prepared for managing its project works online.
The online platform will be utilising open source technologies, they informed.
Chhattisgarh is planning to add 2640 MW of additional renewable energy capacity by financial year 2018-19, officials informed.
The State currently has total renewable energy potential of 4,500 MW which includes solar (grid connected and roof top), wind biomass and small hydro.
It may be recalled that there are significantly more number of villages which are to be electrified in Chhattisgarh using the off-grid (solar) mode than the grid-based (conventional power supply) mode.
As per the latest data available with the Union Ministry of Power, a total of 543 villages have to be electrified under ‘off-grid’ mode compared to 101 through the conventional power supply grid as on May 31, 2016.
The State will soon also launch a ‘Solar Community Irrigation Project’ for drawing water extracted using solar pumps for supplying to the agricultural land of farmers across the State.
The pipeline extension project to be executed by CREDA would be undertaken shortly, officials informed.
Notably , the Central government last year had approved Raipur and Bilaspur to be developed as ‘Solar cities’ in Chhattisgarh.
The State Government has already commenced preparation for setting up 51,000 solar powered irrigation pumps in a span of two-and-half-years in the State.
The Government has set the target of setting up 11,000 solar pumps in the current financial year till March 2017 and the rest during the next two years.
This was announced in the review meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, N Baijendra Kumar in a meeting of the officials of CREDA in Raipur recently.