Are you aware of the ghost consumers that eat up more than half the power in your homes? Do you know that this can easily be checked? Not only in homes, but in large organizations.

Given that there is around 1,27,000 mw of installed capacity in the nation, just imagine what even one per cent of this, when saved, would amount to.

When everyone is looking at newer ways to generate power with newer fuels, a group of engineers is trying to invite attention to the immense potential for conserving energy by reducing waste.

This small group of dedicated professionals met in the City on Saturday to set a big goal for the nation: To make India gain ‘energy-Independence’ by 2022. And do it, not in the traditional way of more megawatts of power generation, but via the simpler, underutilised mode of 'negawatts' of energy conservation.

Registered under the Karnataka chapter of the Indian Association of Energy Management Professionals (IAEMP), most members are qualified energy auditors. All of them believe in the philosophy that one unit of power saved is equivalent to three units generated, if not more. 

"This is not about energy security, which means endless talk of producing more and more power, but about ways to cut down consumption by using small devices that do the job. Above all, we wish to educate the public on the ghost consumers of power in their homes," says S K Sood, the campaign spearhead.

Ghost consumers are the various small, unnoticed ways in which power is consumed. These include TV sets left on power stand-by, mosquito repellers left on through the day, fans without electronic regulator, and the so-called ‘zero watt’ bulb which consumes at least 10 watts! In his own house, by getting rid of these ghosts and using energy friendly devices, Mr Sood has cut down consumption from 120 units a month to 40-75!

The group has members willing to do energy audit for anyone, with no investment cost whatsoever. "We’ll get back our money from the savings we help them make in just two months," says B Shukla, new secretary of the Karnataka chapter. Dr I P S Paul, CPRI additional director, is president of the chapter.

The chapter will go a long way in taking the issue to the grassroots, believes Mr Sood. To ensure implementation of the energy conservation Act and to bring the many laws concerning energy under one umbrella are among its other objectives.

Anyone who is an engineer with a minimum of three years' experience can join as member of the IAEMP. But above all is the commitment to the ideal, which is that of energy conservation. Call  9901911910. 

47% SAVINGS!

The City-based Elpro Energy offers energy-saving services to anyone interested. Recently, the company won a national award from the S&T Ministry for its energy tracking and control system set up along 63 km on the ring road around the City.

The system under which street lights along the road can be turned on and off from the company's office, has helped Bescom save up to 47 per cent on its energy bill, says Nalin Kanshal, Elpro director.

The boxes placed every half a km incorporates a mobile phone, which is in turn connected to the circuit.
The police commissioner's office has invited Elpro to do the audit of its various colonies and offices, he adds.