Chandigarh, May 10 (IANS) The Punjab New and Renewable Energy Sources Department on Wednesday launched Punjab State Energy Action Plan to ensure promotion of energy efficiency in buildings, industries, municipalities, agriculture, transport and other sectors.

The action plan is aimed at assisting government departments and agencies to adopt the most sustainable, long-term and inter-sectoral renewable and clean energy plans.

Additional Chief Secretary A. Venu Prasad, Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) Chairman H.S. Hanspal and head of Indo-German Energy Programme Giz, Winfried Damm, also launched decision support tool and Amritsar smart city portal and renewable purchase obligations (RPO) portal for the state.

Amritsar will be developed as solar city, Prasad said while adding the energy action plan will help achieving goals towards net zero in each sector.

PEDA signed a pact with GIZ's IGEN Access to Energy programme funded by the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany for seeking technical assistance with the help of experienced team of consultants and representatives of over 20 departments and organisations.

Emphasising on the need of fast-tracking implementation of the action plan and review the progress quarterly, Prasad asked all departments to come forward to equip their office buildings with solar panels to decarbonise the power sector, which will help in reducing power consumption charges to 25 to 30 per cent.

Hanspal said PEDA is the state designated agency of government for implementation of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, and the vision of the PEDA to achieve net-zero goals by 2070.

Appreciating the efforts of PEDA for taking the lead to prepare this unique document, Indo-German Energy Programme GIZ head Damm explained the importance of long-term energy planning to meet India's ambition on achieving the net-zero goal.

He emphasised on the role of all government departments and citizens of the state in realising the targets set at international stage.

He also shared examples from different European nations and their sectoral initiatives to decarbonise their economy, mostly by 2050, Germany by 2045.

--IANS

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