RK Singh demands states to set energy conservation target

States should set targets for energy conservation and reducing their emissions much like international treaties, said Union Power and Renewable Energy minister RK Singh.

Union Power and Renewable Energy minister  R K Singh said, ” a public ranking of the states and their targets should be published, with targets coming from the states themselves”. This mechanism follows the path of the Paris Agreement, which had countries list their own stated targets to achieve by 2030. “We can take a leaf out of the international construct, and have a system of states designating their own targets. Just like we had NDCs (Nationally Determined Targets), you can have state designated targets for reducing the overall emissions,”

Singh said while speaking at the Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s (BEE) annual energy conservation awards. India is a trailblazer is energy efficiency, and that other prominent countries are copying the systems in place here. “In energy efficiency, we are showing the world what can be done. Other countries have looked at it, and are copying from it,” he added.

The minister also reaffirmed that the country will surpass the 450 GW of operational renewable energy capacity by 2030, saying that 55 percent of all sources of power will be sustainable by then. However, he acknowledged that despite the optimism, there is scope for doing better. While commenting on the scenario he said, “Our sector is doing well — whether it is sustainability, strengthening of the power system, reducing emissions, or keeping price of power down. There is much room for improvements in all these, and we are going to make those improvements,”