The Hindu Business Line : `Energy saving crucial for Indian cos'

Energy saving is crucial for Indian companies to cut costs and compete in the international market, as it is a significant component of the cost of production, according to Mr M.V. Anantha Krishna, the Executive Director of M.K. Raju Consultants Pvt Ltd, Chennai.

He was delivering a lecture on energy management here on Friday in the local chapter of the Institution of Engineers on the occasion of Engineers Day.

Conservation ignored

Mr Anantha Krishna said that most Indian companies tended to ignore energy conservation and cited the example of a company, which lost Rs 6 crore as it was not willing to pay the consultant Rs 6 lakhs.

"It is a widely prevalent attitude, and most companies tend to view consultants in the field with suspicion. However, they are necessary. It is possible to save 10-20 per cent of energy and cut costs in most companies and that will reduce the cost of production substantially. Our company has conducted studies in over 500 companies where 20 per cent of the energy can be saved," he said.

Biomass gasification

He then laid stress on biomass gasification and how India could use the available 54 million hectares of wastelands in the country to generate 1.5 lakh MWs besides generating rural employment on a massive scale.

"Subabul, jatropha or any other biomass can be grown, depending on the soil, and technologies are available to exploit it for energy generation.

By 2012, it is estimated, the energy deficit will be 1.5 lakh MWs and that can be bridged by power generation through biomass," he said.

Representatives from the Visakhapatnam steel plant, the Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels Ltd, Rain Calcining, Synergies Castings, and several other companies participated in the seminar, which was inaugurated by the local MLA, Mr D. Srinivas.

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