We are at a time of energy transition, where the world is recognizing that we can no longer afford to not care about how we use energy. It is becoming evident that investing in increasing the rate of energy efficiency improvement is as important as investing in increasing supplies of energy. It is now possible for an emerging country, like ours, to achieve transition to a low carbon future without harming its economic growth.
With a population of 110 Million, Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan. It is also one of the most economically developed provinces in the country, contributing 60% to Pakistan’s GDP. Providing reliable and affordable energy has therefore, always been critical to development of Punjab, as 65% of generated power and gas in the country is consumed by the province.
In addition to investing in generation, Punjab Government has also shown commitment to working on improving demand side efficiency. In 2015, Government of Punjab set up the Punjab Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency to carry out the efficiency and conservation program at a provincial level. The basic aim for establishing this organization is to manage the demand side of electricity and energy as the provincial arm of National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) under the NEECA Act 2016.
There are two components of PEECA’s work. First is the efficiency component which is technological advancement; second component is energy conservation which is working on behavioral change in consumers. Bringing about behavioral change is the hardest as consumers are not used to conservation practices.
Since its inception, the organization has been actively involved in implementing a number of high impact projects in the province as well as launching an extensive mass awareness campaign for creating a culture of saving energy among school and university students as well as with local government agencies.
Demand side measures are imperative for development of the country. Without working on demand side management, we will not be able to achieve sustained economic growth. Our vision is for Punjab to become an energy self-sufficient province that is competitive, modern, and attractive to domestic and internationals investors. Through our work at PEECA, we want to be the trailblazer in energy efficiency amongst other provinces.
