New Delhi:Calling for adoption of super critical and ultra-super critical technologies for power generation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said India should improve the energy consumption pattern in order to achieve the 12th Plan (2012-17) growth target of nine per cent.
“Since we are largely dependent on fossil fuels, any improvement in the energy efficiency of our thermal power generation plants will help reduce energy intensity of our GDP. To this end, we must encourage increased use of super critical and ultra-super critical technologies for power generation.” Increased use of public transport in our cities, shift in freight movement from road to rail, use of new technologies like an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle and energy efficient use of gas plants should be encouraged. Dr. Singh was speaking at the National Energy Conservation day function organised by the Power Ministry.
As India imported a large component of commercial energy, “it is of vital importance that we redouble our efforts both to increase domestic supply of energy and to reduce the energy intensity of our GDP,” he said. “High energy intensities indicate a high price or cost of converting energy into economic output.”
India, which is facing acute power shortage, has an installed capacity of over 1,80,000 MW.
The National Solar Mission aims to generate 20,000 MW by 2020. “Successful implementation of the National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency… would lead to an annual fuel saving of about 23 million tonnes oil equivalent — in coal, gas and petroleum products,” the Prime Minister said.
Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said government would soon launch a programme to accelerate use of appliances such as fans and tubelights which were 50 per cent more energy-efficient.