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Demand side management and Renewable Energy In India: Capacity Building of CSOs

DREC PROJECT Gujarat Chapter

Presented By- Ankur Brauah VIKSAT, Ahmedabad

VIKSAT

Nehru Foundation for Development, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

VIKRAM SARABHAI CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT INTERACTION

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Project Outline

Project Goal• Policy Change• Practice Change

Consumer Groups 1. CSOs

2. Household

3. Farmers

4. Commercial

5. Government

6. Industrial (SMEs)

Implementation area• 4 districts• 8 partner CSOs

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Project Activities Accomplished

• Inception Workshop

• Consumer Perception Survey

• State Level Paper

• State Level Training Workshops

• Consumer Interface Meetings

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Learning of the perception survey

• Climate Change: It’s happening…– Consumers are aware of climate change, but are unable to link the phenomenon with energy

issue

• Lifestyle first– Consumers are not ready to compromise with lifestyle for the sake of climate

• Renewable Energy and energy Efficiency– Consumers are well aware of RE and EE

• Power surplus state….bordering a myth…?– There are issues related to supply and quality of electricity provided, in some parts of Gujarat

• YES…to shell out more– Consumers are ready to pay 5-10% extra for clean energy in the condition of reliable supply

and better after sale service

• Behavior Change….a challenge– There is a gap between awareness and practice in EE and RE

• Consumer Satisfaction quotient– Consumers are not happy with the EE appliances

• High to start with…higher to continue– High initial cost and poor after sale service are the major hurdles in adopting RE

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Learning of the CIMs

• Consumers are concerned about increasing power price

• Billing and service related problems still exits especially in rural areas

• Consumers showed interest to know about EE products and RE alternatives

• Farmers showed interest in adopting solar pumps

• Energy audit is picking up in SMEs….availability of qualified Energy auditors is an issue

• SHGs are instrumental in facilitating penetration of EE products and RE appliances

• At a personal level, the consumers have been adopting EEPs and RE, but the efforts are isolated and choices made were un-informed..

• Standards, labeling and brands…dot play a significant role in influencing the decision of consumers, due to lack of information and awareness

• Consumer awareness and participation in regulatory system is nominal • Very limited use of media in promoting awareness regarding consumer role in

grievance redressal and in energy saving• A high level of acceptance amongst the Gram Panchayats about RET• Youth, School going children, SHGs are a potential vehicle for inculcating

DSM strategies

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Challenges faced

• Very little in-house expertise on specialized and technical aspects of the issue

• Start up problems: very few organizations were found to partner with, in the initial stage

• Mode of Denial: A general trend was observed amongst the consumers, CSOs, Government agencies (regulatory and implementation)

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