Electricity consumption reduction at AICTE

As it is famously said “Prevention is always better than cure”, in the same way “Saving energy is better and cheaper than generating energy” , even if the energy generation is done through use of solar energy. Using solar energy solutions are like prevention, but not using any energy, or reducing energy consumption by efficiency measures are much more powerful ideas for sustainability than generating renewable energy. For manufacturing renewable energy devices, structures, power processing units, one need to mine materials, use chemicals and use energy. All these have impact on environment; less than generating carbon based energy, but definitely not zero.

This is basis of efforts put by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in collaboration with Energy Swaraj Foundation towards Reduction in Electricity Consumption (REC). Climate is not changing, it has changed, rather, it is accelerating. Millions of lives are already getting affected due to catastrophic events. Intensities and frequencies of extreme floods, forest fires, heat waves all are increasing faster than anticipated.

According to IPCC ‘drastic’ and ‘immediate’ steps are required to mitigate the changing climate. Climate change would start to become irreversible by 1.5^oC and by about 2^oC of global warming, it would be completely irreversible. Academia nurtures and shapes the future of young generations. It is this young generation who are going to stay longer on the planet and suffer the greater consequences of climate change.

In this context, the role of academic is critical. It needs to assimilate the climate corrective actions that are as per and beyond the policy and regulatory norms of academic world. The best way to do this for an academic institution is to make the campus itself as role model for generating and consuming energy sustainably.

AICTE being the regulator authority of the technical education in India. It is its paramount duty to demonstrate the same and become the role model for all other academic institutions.

Genesis of Electricity Reduction Plan at AICTE Headquarters
It was immediately after the second Covid-wave when the Energy Swaraj Yatra of Prof. Solanki visited Delhi and an Energy Literacy Training was conducted for all employs of the campus. The training was fully attended by then chairman, Dr. Anil Sahasrabudhe. The training brought the sense of urgency to take actions towards climate correction. And one of the simplest suggested action was reduction in electricity consumption, without investing any money or affecting any operations of the headquarter.

As a part of the training, a need for electricity saving of the AICTE quarter and becoming a role model for other affiliated institutions was felt. A physical inspection around the headquarter building by then chairman, vice-chairman (Dr. M.P. Poonia), member-secretary (Dr. Rajiv Kumar) along with other senior members of AICTE and Prof. Solanki was made. The visit clearly demonstrated the high potential to save electricity, simply by avoiding the mis-use and over-use of electricity.

Based on all these activities, the Chairman, officially signed a pledge to reduce electricity consumption of AICTE headquarters by 20%, which then became a motivation to act up on and achieve the set target.

Approach

Based on the instruction of chairman, a committee, headed by Vice Chairman was formed. The committee has several rounds of discussion and eventually on 4th March 2022, came up with plan of action to achieve the target of 20% reduction in electricity bill. The plan was devised based on AMG (Avoid-Minimize-Generate) principle, which is also a part of Energy Literacy Training. ‘Avoid’ the use of electricity whenever it is avoidable. ‘Minimize’ the use of electricity using energy efficient appliances. ‘Generate’ or take electricity from outside as little as possible.

The committee observed that there is good potential to ‘avoid’ the wastage of electricity by educating the users, removing some devices, etc. Also, there was significant opportunity to minimize electricity by replacing devices with efficient appliances and increase the temperature of air cooling.

The committee has finalized following plan of action:

1. Documentation of the efforts
   • These efforts of AICTE is very important and could become a model for academic institutions, therefore documentation of efforts is very important. The AICTE presented these efforts as case study for all academic institutions.
2. Awareness among all campus users, including sanitary workers
   • Everyone in the campus to become aware that AICTE has taken pledge to reduce its electricity consumption by 20% in three months
   • Posters to be put at all major places, key meeting points, entry gates, each side of the wing, etc.
   • Create volunteers, at least 2 for each wing
   • Make Energy Literacy Training to be made compulsory for all employees
   • Training to be imparted to housekeeping staff and security guards also.
   • Rooms lights of officers rooms to be switched off after cleaning, and only officers themselves shall switch on their lights.
3. Reducing thermal gain of the campus
   • In campus area trees and hedges should not be cut down, let them grow fully. New plantations to be done in the campus by following fire safety norms
   • Rooftop area to be white painted, even if there are solar panel installed, it will help to reduce heat gain by the building
   • On some walls, specially south facing walls, green creepers may be put or some other protection to reduce direct exposure of the wall from sunlight
4. Avoiding the use of electricity (stopping the use)
   • It was observed that number of lights used in areas like corridors are not required, their numbers was reduced to nearly half
   • Refrigerators were removed (switched-off) from the guesthouse rooms, as hardly anyone needs a refrigerator.
   • Number of street lights were reduced to nearly 50%, which was also sufficient to illuminate the roads.
   • During the daytime, lights, particularly in the offices and places which have good day light illumination are avoided. People were asked to do this.
   • Use of heaters for winters in any place was strictly prohibited.
   • Use of food heaters in rooms were prohibited, only one heater was placed at a common place in each wing.
5. Minimizing the use of electricity
   • Air conditioning is a major load and every efforts should be made to reduce it. It was decided that Central AC plant cooling temperature to be maintained at 24.5 degree centigrade or above that.
   • Replace all CFL lights with LED lights, without waiting for end of life. A basic economic calculation was done. Since LEDs cost have come down and it takes only half the electricity. Such replacement is also an economically viable decision.
   • VFD devices were installed in AHU/CSU to reduce the electricity consumption.

End result – electricity saving

The efforts of electricity saving started after the second wave of Covid and its impact was clearly visible from Sep 2022 onwards. Since before the second Covid wave the office operations were not normal, therefore the comparison of electricity bills to estimate the reduction in consumption is done with pre Covid period, with months before March 2020. The electricity bills in terms of electrical units consumed between Sept-2022 to May-2023 are presented in the table below and compared with the same months of pre-Covid period.

Table: Comparison of electrical units consumed during Sept-22 to May-23 and compared with the same months of per-Covid period.It is heartening to observe a 19% reduction in electricity consumption, which is really close to the target that was set to 20%.

1. For comparison, the electricity bill of Mar-19 to May-19 is taken because, Covid lock-down started from Mar-19 onwards. ↩︎

Carbon emission saving by AICTE headquarter

As prevention is better than cure, similarly electricity saving is better than the electricity generation, even if it is generated using solar energy. During the observed period of electricity saving over a period of 9 months was nearly 2,50,000 units. This saving on a per month basis is nearly 28,000 units. By all means this is a very significant saving.

In India nearly 74% electricity is generated using coal. In this case each unit of electricity consumed, results in nearly 800 to 1000 grams of CO2 emission, considering emission right from coal mining, to transportation, to electricity generation, and distribution.

28,000 units saving per month means nearly 28,000 kg of 28 tons of CO2 emission saving per month. This extrapolation to over 1 year would mean 3,37,000 kg or 337 tons of CO2 emission saving on an annual basis.

This was possible because top level management was serious about the importance and saving, users understood the need to do the same. Everyone through their behaviour and acceptance of the changes contributed to the reduction in electricity consumption. A commendable mission, very well executed by AICTE. This was done in collaboration with the Energy Swaraj Foundation. ACITE has signed an MoU with the Energy Swaraj Foundation to collaborate on energy and climate awareness and energy conservation.