India to install 400 million power saver lamps

India to install 400 million power saver lamps

India to install 400 million power saver lamps

New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS)

India's Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is working on a plan to replace 400 million incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) across the country, an official said on Tuesday.

The project, called Bachat Lamp Yojana (BLY), aims at reducing India's carbon footprints by preventing 40 million tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere annually. Each CFL unit would cost around Rs.15 under the scheme, 75 percent less than its usual cost. "We are aiming at nearly 400 million light points in the country, planning to reach every household. Earlier these bulbs were expensive, now we are providing them at a subsidised rate," Ajay Mathur, director general of BEE, told IANS. For every tonne of carbon saved, the BEE is awarded with a carbon certificate by the UN. The certificate is transferred to the investor. The certificate can be sold in international market as carbon credit at around 10-12 euros. The buyers include power producers seeking green house gas reduction certification according to the standards set by the European Union. Delhi's power distribution companies, North Delhi Power limited (NDPL) and the BSES, are working on the BLY in the capital. Residents associations still feel that power distribution companies need to provide more awareness about the scheme. "People are unaware of the technicalities involved in distribution of CFLs. The process of registration and details are not made available," said Shweta Verma, a representative from Resident Welfare News, an organisation working for the welfare of residents across the country. The BLY has been approved by the UN under the global carbon credit scheme called Clean Development Mechanism.

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