Demand Side Management & Renewable Energy

In India: Capacity Building of CSOs -- DREC Project

supported by ClimateWorks Foundation, USA through Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF), India

Presentation at DREC Launch Meeting

Saturday, 25th June, 2010, Kolkata

Udai Mehta, CUTS International

2

Outline

About CUTS International

Background and Need

DREC Project Features Objective Activities Expected Outcomes Project Execution

3

CUTS International Genesis: Consumer rights organisation estd. in

1983.

Three resource centres in India: Calcutta, Delhi and Chittorgarh

Four resource centres outside India: Nairobi, Kenya; Lusaka, Zambia; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Geneva, Switzerland

Broad areas of work: Trade, Regulation and Governance

Active programmes on competition, economic regulation and consumer policy and law issues in 30 countries of Africa, and Asia…. and growing.

4

Context

Energy : Critical ingredients for infrastructure development and economic growth

Projected economic growth at 8-9%, results in growth in energy demand

Energy security and providing energy access has gained importance

Use of alternative source of energy ensures Sustainable and Responsible growth

Imperative for India to focus on Demand Side Management (DSM) & Renewable Energy (RE)

5

Need for alternative sources of energy

-What and Why Energy sources that can be used

instead of fossil fuels Fossil fuels they DO have a life

expectancy Burning fossil fuels has

increased atmospheric pollution Hope lies with things such as

sun, water, wind, waves and tides – renewable energy

“The Earth, The Water and the Air, not a gift to us from our parents but a loan for our children”

6

Need for RE & DSM Need for RE

• Security of Supply• Sustainable Economic Growth• Environmental Sustainability• Reduction in Carbon Emission and hence combat climate

change

Need for DSM

• Customer Benefits - Satisfy electricity demands, Reduce / stabilise costs (bills)

• Social Benefits – Energy Conservation, Reduce environmental degradation

• Utility Benefits – Lower cost of service, Improve operating efficiency, Reduce capital needs, Improve customer service

7

Project Features

States – West Bengal and Gujarat

Duration – Two Years

Components – Research, Capacity Building and Advocacy

Approach – Bottom-up approach of multi-stakeholder involvement

Beneficiaries – Civil Society, Government & Business Community

8

Objectives

Increase long term capacity/awareness of CSOs to demand for DSM/RE initiatives

Train CSOs to participate in regulatory processes

Develop a mechanism to take the views of the CSOs to the policy level and vice-versa

9

Importance of CSO Intervention

Promotion and adoption of Renewable and DSM measures has a direct bearing on the electricity tariffs that ultimately affect the consumers

Consumers have a right to know reasons for promotion of a particular technology and the method for tariff calculation

CSO participation is crucial since it can create demand pull for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs in the country.

10

Activities

Research Literature Review Baseline Consumer Survey and Research Report Final Consumer Survey

Capacity Building State Level Training Workshops – Two in each State Consumer Interface Meetings – Two in each State

Advocacy Local Inception Workshop Policy Advocacy Meetings – State and National Level National Conference Constitution of Project Advisory Committee (PAC)

11

Outcomes

More cognisant Civil Society Groups on issues pertaining to Renewable Energy and DSM

Increase in demand from the consumer end which can result in policy initiatives

Effective policy actions by the government for enhancement of Renewable Energy and DSM

12

CUTS C-CIER

CUTS-CRC

West Bengal

Gujarat

Support &Training

Advice & Guidelines

Reporting

Project Execution Diagram

Local CSOs and other stakeholders

13

“Beginnings are always exciting”

THANK YOU

14

For further information please contact:

Udai Mehta, Asst. DirectorCUTS Centre for Competition, Investment and

Economic Regulation (CUTS-CCIER), D-217 Bhaskar Marg, Bani Park, Jaipur 302016, India

Phone: 91.141.228 2821 ; Mb: 91.98292 85926Fax: 91.141.2282485

Email: usm@cuts.org; c-cier@cuts.org Website: www.cuts-ccier.org