Go green to save energy: Kalam

Building energy efficiency is perhaps the most economically feasible and convenient way to ‘generate’ energy by actually saving it, former President A P J Abdul Kalam has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the  ‘Energy Independent’ project initiated by the Kerala CBSE School Managements Association in association with the Energy Management Centre and the Kerala State Electricity Board at Sarabhai Science Park, Kakkanad, on Sunday.

“The first fuel is wood, the second oil, the third nuclear and fourth, green sources such as solar and wind and the fifth fuel is not a hardware fuel in the conventional sense, but energy efficiency. More than a type of technology, the need of the hour is awareness and incentives for industries and homes to go green,” he said.

The existing educational process tends to emphasise learning by rote rather than strengthening creativity. “The education process should nurture the desire to discover and invent. ‘Mapping the neighbourhood’ is a programme in which the students are asked to map the energy consumption of each household, industry, hospital and hotel in the particular area. The awareness on electricity conservation among the youth can save more than 10 per cent of energy. A collective effort to stop its wastage is required,” he said.

The average energy consumption of 300 kwh per metre sq of a normal home can be reduced to 140 kwh per metre sq through proper design, detail and philosophy followed during construction.

“There is immense scope for energy efficiency at household-level ranging from cooking fuel to smart buildings which can save up to 50 per cent of energy consumption,” he said.

Power Minister Aryadan Mohammed who presided over the function announced awards for the schools that conserve power.The best energy efficient schools at the state and district levels will be awarded a purse of `1 lakh and `25,000 respectively.

The student who performs best in the field will be given `500 at the school-level, he said.The ‘Energy Independent’ programme, through the energy ‘smart’ schools, aims to create awareness among the students to help reduce power wastage. A total of 1.5 lakh students will be guided to reduce the consumption of at least one unit of power. Around 4,000 students from the CBSE schools across the state participated in the event.

Benny Behnan MLA, Thrikkakara municipality chairman P I Mohammed Ali, association president T P M Ibrahim Khan, and secretary Indira Rajan spoke.