Energy Management Centre

Keywords :

energy resource management, rural and urban energy systems, energy education and training, energy generation and conservation

Kerala Government has became the first State Government in India to establish an Energy Management Centre (EMC) at State level, aiming primarily to remould and instrumentalise energy sector as a catalyst in promoting a development process which is econo-ecologically sustainable. With a view to making energy sector achieve such a lead and catalytic role, EMC has evolved a novel and comprehensive energy management approach and institutional philosophy encompassing management of energy technology systems - both conventional and non-conventional, energy conservation in all sectors of the economy, energy resource management, rural and urban energy systems, energy education and training, energy generation and conservation based employment and poverty alleviation programmes. since the Earth Summit and the emergence of Agenda 21 as its pivotal and substantial outcome, energy as a sector and a component, got identified as the corner-stone and balancing factor in the process of environment-development interaction, that decide the status and nature of sustainable development. It has also got accepted by the political leaderships of the world governments that to mould a development process which is econo-ecologically sustainable, the management of energy for achieving the maximum end-use benefits and efficiency which include increased use of renewable energy resources through technology development as well is the most important administrative and development priority. Further, at a time when economic growth, employment opportunities and balance of payments scenarios are negatively affected due to increasing energy price in the developing and third world countries; and carbon dioxide (CO2) and other energy consumption induced green house gases are increasing globally, especially due to heavy energy consumption in the developed countries, comprehensive management of energy becomes the urgent need of all the countries. India, one of the most affected countries in terms of energy shortage and increasing energy price became one such country in the world to adopt energy management measures at the earliest in all sectors of the economy on a priority basis, including popularising and promoting renewable energy technology and resources. When liberalization and globalization of economy take effect, energy management aimed at enhancing total energy efficiency in all sectors of the economy becomes a major factor in determining the comprehensive competitiveness of the economy. Giving due consideration to this energy-economy interaction process/scenario, the Government of Kerala took leadership initiatives for establishing a multi-disciplinary Energy Management Centre under the Department of Power.