Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) plans to replace 10 lakh inefficient agricultural pumpsets with BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) star-rated pumps with an electrical control panel during the current fiscal.

The replacement would be done free of cost under the Agricultural Demand Side Management (AgDSM) programme, AK Gupta, Director (Finance), EESL. said.

Pilot project He told Business Line on the sidelines of a stakeholder meeting on AgDSM project implementation that in the pilot phase of the initiative, BEE implemented the first AgDSM in Solapur, Maharashtra, where over 2,200 old pumpsets were replaced with BEE star-rated pumpsets. The intervention led to energy savings of about 30 per cent.

The company, which is under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Power, replaced 590 pumpsets in Byadgi and Nippani circles under the Hubli Electricity Supply Company (HESCOM) in Karnataka, 1,337 pumpsets in Mandya district (under Chamundeswari Electricity Supply Corporation) and is in the process of replacing close to 2,500 pumpsets in Rajanagaram mandal in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.

“Repairs and maintenance of new pumpsets are done for free. While accelerating this initiative through such workshops to draw the attention of the stakeholders, we also educate farmers on energy efficiency and better irrigation practices,” he said.

“No capital investment is involved for the State electricity utilities or the government. The investments made by the company are recovered from the SEUs over fixed project duration through energy savings achieved by replacement with energy-efficient pumps.

Market size According to Gupta, the overall size of energy efficiency market is around ₹74,000 crore. “Only about 5 per cent of this market has been tapped till now by energy services companies and that too in the areas of lighting and some industrial applications,” he said. (EESL has already distributed 9 crore CFL bulbs this year).

Urging all pump manufacturers to partner with EESL, Shashi Kant, Senior Manager (Technical), said, “Our vision is to replace 20 million pumpsets in three-and-half years. Initially, we will target the submersible pumps in agriculture sector. Based on validation and eligibility, our distribution agency will take back the old pumps and give the new one to the farmer besides making arrangements for installation as well.”

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