Energy Efficiency Contrivances Under Aspects of Climate Change Mitigation in Thermal Power Plants

The COP-21 meeting in Paris achieved a key milestone of climate change negotiations, leading to inception of essential mitigation actions pledged by all the developed and developing countries. It is advocated to stabilize the global temperature at 2°C above the pre-industrial levels by 2100. All countries are compelled to take much stronger action. India ranks 3rd position in carbon dioxide emissions on global scale. India has committed a reduction in the emissions intensity of GDP by 33% to 35% from 2005 levels by 2030. India’s commercial energy use in industrial sector is close to 50% and contributes to highest emissions across various sectors. To enhance energy efficiency in energy-intensive large industries, a novel market based mechanism action programme called Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) has been developed. PAT mechanism is time bound with periodic cycle of three years. PAT cycle I has achieved an annual energy savings of 8.67 mtoe from 478 energy intensive industries with a total annual energy consumption of 165 mtoe. Thermal power plants (144 numbers) account to large share of annual energy consumption i.e. 63.3%. The paper highlights actions taken by three different power plants (coal, natural gas, and fuel oil) to achieve their individual set target under PAT mechanism. Various energy conservation measures implement by these power plants are deliberated. The learning’s from energy conservation measures implemented in these power plants can be easily replicated (or) reviewed for similar thermal power plants internationally. These measures may also be included under mitigation actions of other nations to realize emissions reduction.