Planning Commission for issuing guidelines to use energy efficient technology

Planning Commission (PC) has proposed to issue guidelines for using energy efficient technology and formulating effective penalties to discourage wastage of energy.
According to sources, the PC in its energy efficiency programme has called for finalisation of national energy efficiency standards, and certification and labelling of domestic electric and gas appliances in one year - from June 2010 to June 2011.
Under the programme, vehicles' fuel efficiency, traction and emissions standards will be finalised during June 2010-2011 whereas other standards and regulations including tariffs, net metering, fuel quality/composition and standby consumption will be finalised from December 2010 onwards.
Industrial equipment standards and certification programme will be finalised during January 2010 to June 2011. Under this programme certified, green, passive and zero-energy buildings will be introduced and industrial energy efficiency requirements for major equipment's, including boilers and motors, will be upgraded and expanded.
Revised building energy code and building certification criteria will be completed by December 2010. Under the programme, accredited energy performance testing and certification facilities and procedures will be introduced to control energy wastage.
Testing protocols, facilities and labelling schemes will be launched from January 2011 onwards. Under this scheme energy efficiency equipment and product categories will be defined that would help to seek fiscal exemptions and surcharges on inefficient alternatives by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
Regulations will be developed for appropriate regulatory framework to address the barriers, remove anomalies and set the performance standards to attract the investment in energy efficiency programme. The improved standards will be introduced among the equipment suppliers and major end-use segments of the country.
The standards will be set to reduce the transmission and distribution losses of power and gas distribution companies. At present, both power and gas distribution companies are facing huge transmission and distributions losses that are also resulting in wastage of energy.
The stock of inefficient products, technology and installations will be replaced with modern products and technology to conserve energy. The emphasis will be laid on increase of local production and manufacturing of electric and gas appliances. The programme for manufacturing of domestic gas and electric appliances will be finalised by September 2010.