The Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS) is gearing up to conduct study on energy consumption patterns of industrial, commercial and domestic sectors in a bid to lay recommendations to enhance efficiency in power consumption.

The study is being conducted as per the announcement made by the government through the budget of this fiscal year.

The secretariat will prepare energy audit guidelines for all three sectors before conducting the study. 

The WECS is planning to conduct studies at plants that manufacture cement, steel, bricks, sugar, dairy products, noodles, pulp, paper and beverage to derive baseline figures on energy consumption of the industrial sector. 

“The study will find out energy consumption pattern of these production units, which will help us to figure out the quantum of energy consumed by different equipments of these factories,” said Kiran Gautam, a senior divisional engineer at the WECS. Similar studies will also be carried out at commercial banks, five-star hotels and commercial high-rise buildings to obtain baseline figures on energy consumption of the industrial sector. Also, studies on electricity consumed by different domestic appliances, like air conditioners, refrigerators, lighting fixtures, washing machines, ovens, rice cookers, water heater and induction heaters, will be conducted to get baseline figures on domestic power consumption. 

“Till date, no such study has been conducted. Once the study is over, we will come to know about efficiency of electricity usage,” said Gautam. “The study will also let us know about areas where energy can be saved.”

Upon completion of the study, the WECS will make recommendations on efficient use of electricity to various sectors. “We will then make suggestions to industrialists and managers on ways to save energy,” she said. 

The secretariat, on Wednesday, published a notice seeking expression of interest (EOI) from consultants interested in preparing the guidelines and conducting the audit.  “We will shortlist six firms based on their experience and qualification and invite them to submit technical and financial proposals,” said Gautam.

The proposal, according to the secretariat, will be evaluated as per quality- and cost-based selection process, where 80 percent weightage will be given to technical proposals and 20 percent weightage will be given to fianancial proposals.  It will take around one and a half years to complete the study.