National Conference on Sustainable Cooling and Energy Efficiency Held in New Delhi

New Delhi hosted a two-day National Conference on "Sustainable Cooling and Doubling the Rate of Energy Efficiency Improvement" on February 21-22, 2025. Organized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the Power Foundation of India (PFI) under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, the conference was designed to drive energy efficiency and address the growing demand for sustainable cooling solutions.

The conference began with the initiative of Shri Manohar Lal, Minister of Power and Housing and Urban Affairs in the Union, where he emphasized the importance of energy efficiency to sustain economic and environmental well-being. During his address, he presented the "India Energy Scenario 2023-24" report, which addresses the energy future, efficiency drives, and sustainability initiatives of India. Additionally, the minister launched the Energy-Efficient Retrofit manuals and leaflets to guide the initiative of energy-saving strategies in commercial offices and domestic homes.

The Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy, Shri Shripad Naik, also addressed the conference, laying stress on India's success in meeting its climate commitments. He referred to the need to find a balance between increasing energy requirements and sustainability goals as India is one of the largest energy consumers in the world.

Shri Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, elucidated the position of the G20 Summit in India towards building international energy efficiency activities. The New Delhi Leaders' Declaration (NDLD) emphasized energy efficiency as the "first fuel" and set an objective of doubling energy efficiency improvement rates by 2030. India's current Energy Intensity (EI) improvement rate of approximately 2.5% in 2024 will need to increase to 4% by 2030 in order to meet this objective, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates.

The conference addressed the key policy and technology measures required to improve energy efficiency. The agenda featured measuring energy intensity, allocating energy saving, and the realization of global promises through tangible steps. Sustainable cooling was a key concern, with experts underlining the need for managing growing cooling demands in an energy-efficient manner.

It attracted over 50 speakers and 250 delegates and had thematic sessions on Buildings, Appliances, Industry, Transport, Investment, and Sustainable Cooling. The participants represented government, multilateral institutions, civil society, financial institutions, and industry associations. Key knowledge partners included the International Energy Agency (IEA), Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All), CLASP, and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), along with Indian think tanks such as The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), the Council for Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE).

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), the key organizer of the event, is a statutory organization under the Ministry of Power, tasked with enhancing energy efficiency across sectors. It develops policies, regulations, and market-based initiatives to reduce the energy intensity of the Indian economy. BEE has introduced various programs promoting energy efficiency in lighting, commercial buildings, appliances, and industries.

The Power Foundation of India, another key organiser, is an ministry-level policy advocacy body. The Foundation conducts research and policy analysis in the area of power generation, transmission, and distribution, as well as energy transition and environmental issues. The Foundation also conducts awareness programmes with a perspective towards propagating key initiatives in the power sector.

The conference concluded on February 22, 2025, on a shared commitment by stakeholders to enhance energy efficiency and sustainable cooling in India. 

Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Delhi