Page 31 - Shashwat - A GRIHA Council Publication
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FEATURE ARTICLE 29
need to negotiate with complex, a 25-year-old NGO in Thane and more aware about energy
bureaucratic labyrinths to obtain city working basically for conservation and renewable
any funding (Houck & Rickerson the educational benefits for energy options. Energy audit
2009). To overcome these under privileged students has is being looked upon as the
difficulties Dr John Byrne, a undertaken the task of spreading first step towards achieving
Nobel Laureate and Distinguished awareness of renewable energy optimum energy consumption
Professor of Center for Energy by starting a campaign, ‘Akshay and reduction in the energy
and Environment Policy, University Urja Abhiyan’. The campaign bill. Society members are more
of Delaware, has invented and was initialized by arranging a willing to participate in the energy
successfully implemented meeting of many distinguished management of their society. As
Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) thinkers from different stratas of they participate in the discussion
model in many states of USA. the society, such as professors, and presentation of the energy
The SEU is an all-inclusive system technocrats, government officials, audit team, they become more
for handling the energy and journalists, energy auditors, aware about energy usage in
environment issues communities students, housewives, social their homes as well as in their
at the local and global levels activists, and obtaining inputs offices. This has resulted in many
(Byrne & Martinez 2009). The from their suggestions for the inquiries for energy audits for their
key features of an SEU include a process of energy movement. The commercial premises as well as
focus on provision of services to first programme it has launched is residential units.
meet needs rather than the sale free energy audit of the common
of a commodity, an emphasis on utility of housing societies in This campaign has the
carbon-free energy usage, and the Thane city. Since its inauguration backing of Thane Municipal
prominence given to community by the Mayor of Thane city in May Corporation which has been
and a democratic management 2015, it has generated tremendous declared as the ‘solar city’ by
structure. The SEU helps response and more than 120 the Central government and
citizens, from both residential buildings have participated till has initiated and implemented
and business sectors, conserve, date. Certified energy auditors, many renewable energy projects
utilize less energy, use energy electricians, social workers, and in the city. The Maharashtra
more efficiently, and generate college students are involved in Energy Development Authority
their own clean, local alternative the process of energy audit. By has also extended support to
(Houck & Rickerson 2009; Hughes performing energy audit and the campaign. This process
2009b). An SEU model is based submitting the report where along involves many professionals as
on simultaneous and synergistic with their current consumption well as engineering students and
quest of energy efficiency and pattern the future course for students from underprivileged
renewable energy resources energy efficiency, energy communities. Enrolment of
(Houck & Rickerson 2009). conservation, and greater use of college students as volunteers
renewable energy are explained in this campaign has greatly
Akshay Urja Abhiyan to the members. Members take influenced their outlook towards
as Citizen’s Energy the initiative and follow the energy resources, usage, and
Movement recommendations of energy wastage. They have come to
savings and renewable energy realize the importance of energy
To foster SEU model for the options. The societies who have conservation and renewable
‘renewablization’ of urban centres implemented the immediate energy resources from the point
,there has to be a dedicated recommendations like shifting of view of the future sustainable
campaign for awareness to LED, smart pump operations world. Also, working with energy
building and technical and with sensors, etc., have observed professionals has opened up a
service support to build on the a marked decrease in their new field of the employment for
awareness, thus created, to result electricity bills. them. The campaign which aims
into the increasing utilization of towards efficient and sustainable
renewable energy sources, use Energy Audit—Outcome energy management seems to
of energy efficient devices, and and Conclusion be a small but determined step
paradigm of energy conservation. towards sustainable cities and
Samata Vichar Prasarak Sanstha, There are many benefits of this the nation.
campaign. Common people have
become more energy conscious Dr Sanjay Mangala Gopal and Meenal
Utturkar. Email: akshayurja.abhiyan@gmail.com
FEBRUARY 2016
need to negotiate with complex, a 25-year-old NGO in Thane and more aware about energy
bureaucratic labyrinths to obtain city working basically for conservation and renewable
any funding (Houck & Rickerson the educational benefits for energy options. Energy audit
2009). To overcome these under privileged students has is being looked upon as the
difficulties Dr John Byrne, a undertaken the task of spreading first step towards achieving
Nobel Laureate and Distinguished awareness of renewable energy optimum energy consumption
Professor of Center for Energy by starting a campaign, ‘Akshay and reduction in the energy
and Environment Policy, University Urja Abhiyan’. The campaign bill. Society members are more
of Delaware, has invented and was initialized by arranging a willing to participate in the energy
successfully implemented meeting of many distinguished management of their society. As
Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) thinkers from different stratas of they participate in the discussion
model in many states of USA. the society, such as professors, and presentation of the energy
The SEU is an all-inclusive system technocrats, government officials, audit team, they become more
for handling the energy and journalists, energy auditors, aware about energy usage in
environment issues communities students, housewives, social their homes as well as in their
at the local and global levels activists, and obtaining inputs offices. This has resulted in many
(Byrne & Martinez 2009). The from their suggestions for the inquiries for energy audits for their
key features of an SEU include a process of energy movement. The commercial premises as well as
focus on provision of services to first programme it has launched is residential units.
meet needs rather than the sale free energy audit of the common
of a commodity, an emphasis on utility of housing societies in This campaign has the
carbon-free energy usage, and the Thane city. Since its inauguration backing of Thane Municipal
prominence given to community by the Mayor of Thane city in May Corporation which has been
and a democratic management 2015, it has generated tremendous declared as the ‘solar city’ by
structure. The SEU helps response and more than 120 the Central government and
citizens, from both residential buildings have participated till has initiated and implemented
and business sectors, conserve, date. Certified energy auditors, many renewable energy projects
utilize less energy, use energy electricians, social workers, and in the city. The Maharashtra
more efficiently, and generate college students are involved in Energy Development Authority
their own clean, local alternative the process of energy audit. By has also extended support to
(Houck & Rickerson 2009; Hughes performing energy audit and the campaign. This process
2009b). An SEU model is based submitting the report where along involves many professionals as
on simultaneous and synergistic with their current consumption well as engineering students and
quest of energy efficiency and pattern the future course for students from underprivileged
renewable energy resources energy efficiency, energy communities. Enrolment of
(Houck & Rickerson 2009). conservation, and greater use of college students as volunteers
renewable energy are explained in this campaign has greatly
Akshay Urja Abhiyan to the members. Members take influenced their outlook towards
as Citizen’s Energy the initiative and follow the energy resources, usage, and
Movement recommendations of energy wastage. They have come to
savings and renewable energy realize the importance of energy
To foster SEU model for the options. The societies who have conservation and renewable
‘renewablization’ of urban centres implemented the immediate energy resources from the point
,there has to be a dedicated recommendations like shifting of view of the future sustainable
campaign for awareness to LED, smart pump operations world. Also, working with energy
building and technical and with sensors, etc., have observed professionals has opened up a
service support to build on the a marked decrease in their new field of the employment for
awareness, thus created, to result electricity bills. them. The campaign which aims
into the increasing utilization of towards efficient and sustainable
renewable energy sources, use Energy Audit—Outcome energy management seems to
of energy efficient devices, and and Conclusion be a small but determined step
paradigm of energy conservation. towards sustainable cities and
Samata Vichar Prasarak Sanstha, There are many benefits of this the nation.
campaign. Common people have
become more energy conscious Dr Sanjay Mangala Gopal and Meenal
Utturkar. Email: akshayurja.abhiyan@gmail.com
FEBRUARY 2016
