Children to adopt best practices in Energy Conservation: Speakers

 

Nuaman Ishfaq Mughal 

Lahore: In recognition of the prevalent energy sector challenges, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate for catalyzing research, development, and innovation in the field of energy efficiency and conservation. Managing Director NEECA, Dr. Sardar Mohazzam graced the signing ceremony along with the Provost LUMS, Dr. Tariq Jadoon.

Speaking on the occasion, Director Energy Institute LUMS, Dr. Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry said that, though, demand side management of energy was at the core of all the possible solutions of the energy challenges being faced by Pakistan, it was often overlooked. He said that the energy efficiency and conservation was the key towards peak load management and could mitigate national challenges of capacity payments and circular debt in the energy sector.

Managing Director (MD) NEECA, Dr. Sardar Mohazzam said that the ever-increasing prices of energy and the impending global recession demanded an enhanced focus on the indigenization of the energy efficient technologies and capacities as well as inculcating a behavior of energy conservation in the masses. It was stressed by the MD NEECA that a critical mass of specialized knowledge and skilled local human resource in the domain of energy efficiency was absolutely necessary for the growth of this nascent energy efficiency market. For this, the collaboration between NEECA and LUMS would prove to be stepping stone in the effective implementation of energy efficiency and conservation.

He shared that, during the past two and a half years, NEECA had institutionalized Energy Efficiency and Conservation across key sectors of the economy, especially the Building and Industrial Sectors, and is keen to ensure efficient and sustainable use of Energy in Pakistan through a business enabling policy framework. Currently, the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policy and the regulations for the Minimum Energy Performance Standards of electric appliances have been drafted after comprehensive consultations with the public and private sector stakeholders. He informed that establishing the industrial and academic linkages for the development of indigenous capacities, in the field of energy efficiency, was one of the major proposed policy interventions.

Provost LUMS, Dr. Tariq Jadoon appreciated the efforts of NEECA and stressed the need for nation-wide replication of this collaboration. He, also, welcomed the institutionalization of energy efficiency and conservation in the country and reiterated the continued support of LUMS in impactful implementation of this collaboration.