UNB, Dhaka :
The proposed energy audit regulation is finally coming into effect as the Power Division has recently received the Law Ministry’s vetting on it.
“We’ve got the Law Ministry’s vetting on the proposed rules with two suggestions,” said Power Division’s joint secretary Mohammad Alauddin. Now, he said, the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda) as the responsible authority will issue a gazette notification for its implementation. He said one of the Law Ministry’s suggestions is to drop the punishment-related provision from the regulation tiled ‘Energy Audit Regulations 2018’. He also mentioned that the delegated legislation should not promulgate any provision for punishment since the Sreda Act does not have any authority to impose any punishment. Official sources said the Sreda moved to formulate the energy audit regulation mainly for large energy consumers in industrial, services and commercial sectors as part of the existing ‘Energy Efficiency and Conservation Provision’.
It is believed that the huge amount of money can be saved by consumers if energy efficiency is ensured and it will bring benefits for other consumers largely as well.
While formulating the regulation, Sreda, a subsidiarybody under the Power Division, proposed introducing a provision to fine up to Tk 1 million for those failing to comply with the regulations, officials said. But during the vetting, the Law Ministry found the provision as contradictory to the Sreda Act which does not allow any punishment. The idea of energy auditing is that there will
be certain certified independent energy audit firms who will be appointed by large consumers to audit their energy management like the existing financial audit firms. They will calculate the efficiency of both men and machines in large consumers as misuse of energy can happen in both ways-by inefficient machine and also by inefficient manpower. After the audit, the auditors will find out the reasons of inefficiency and prepare a report along with their recommendations for taking measures to bring efficiency in energy use, said Sreda director Siddique Zobair. The audit firm will submit its report to both the concerned consumer and Sreda. On the basis of the report, Sreda will ask the consumer concerned to improve efficiency within a certain timeframe. If necessary, Sreda will provide support for arranging finance for the task. Industry insiders and energy experts welcomed the move saying it is essential for an energy-starved country like Bangladesh where a large number of people do not have access to energy.
Dr M Tamim, a professor at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) and also an energy expert, said energy auditing is essential for two reasons – reducing the energy consumption by better management and increasing the efficiency by using better equipment. “Once energy auditing system is introduced, the government can measure consumer’s actual use and misuse of both energy and power. If the consumer is found to be inefficient in its consumption, then the government can set a timeline for rectification and improvement,” he said. Under the new provision, the government can ask inefficient consumers to improve their energy management and bring down their energy use to a certain level. Adviser to Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and energy expert Dr Shamsul Alam echoed the same sentiment saying that creating awareness and encouraging people about energy efficiency should be the main motto of the energy audit regulations
The proposed energy audit regulation is finally coming into effect as the Power Division has recently received the Law Ministry’s vetting on it.
“We’ve got the Law Ministry’s vetting on the proposed rules with two suggestions,” said Power Division’s joint secretary Mohammad Alauddin. Now, he said, the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda) as the responsible authority will issue a gazette notification for its implementation. He said one of the Law Ministry’s suggestions is to drop the punishment-related provision from the regulation tiled ‘Energy Audit Regulations 2018’. He also mentioned that the delegated legislation should not promulgate any provision for punishment since the Sreda Act does not have any authority to impose any punishment. Official sources said the Sreda moved to formulate the energy audit regulation mainly for large energy consumers in industrial, services and commercial sectors as part of the existing ‘Energy Efficiency and Conservation Provision’.
It is believed that the huge amount of money can be saved by consumers if energy efficiency is ensured and it will bring benefits for other consumers largely as well.
While formulating the regulation, Sreda, a subsidiarybody under the Power Division, proposed introducing a provision to fine up to Tk 1 million for those failing to comply with the regulations, officials said. But during the vetting, the Law Ministry found the provision as contradictory to the Sreda Act which does not allow any punishment. The idea of energy auditing is that there will
be certain certified independent energy audit firms who will be appointed by large consumers to audit their energy management like the existing financial audit firms. They will calculate the efficiency of both men and machines in large consumers as misuse of energy can happen in both ways-by inefficient machine and also by inefficient manpower. After the audit, the auditors will find out the reasons of inefficiency and prepare a report along with their recommendations for taking measures to bring efficiency in energy use, said Sreda director Siddique Zobair. The audit firm will submit its report to both the concerned consumer and Sreda. On the basis of the report, Sreda will ask the consumer concerned to improve efficiency within a certain timeframe. If necessary, Sreda will provide support for arranging finance for the task. Industry insiders and energy experts welcomed the move saying it is essential for an energy-starved country like Bangladesh where a large number of people do not have access to energy.
Dr M Tamim, a professor at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) and also an energy expert, said energy auditing is essential for two reasons – reducing the energy consumption by better management and increasing the efficiency by using better equipment. “Once energy auditing system is introduced, the government can measure consumer’s actual use and misuse of both energy and power. If the consumer is found to be inefficient in its consumption, then the government can set a timeline for rectification and improvement,” he said. Under the new provision, the government can ask inefficient consumers to improve their energy management and bring down their energy use to a certain level. Adviser to Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and energy expert Dr Shamsul Alam echoed the same sentiment saying that creating awareness and encouraging people about energy efficiency should be the main motto of the energy audit regulations
