EESL workshop focuses on MSME sector participation in India’s Energy Efficiency journey

New Delhi, March 13, 2019: Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, yesterday organised a multistakeholder workshop to discuss EESL’s procurement practices and develop a framework for enhanced participation of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in India’s energy efficiency journey. Leading experts from across industry, multilateral bodies and financial institutions participated in the half-day workshop where stakeholders discussed the need to develop a forward-looking framework and a conducive environment for the growth of the MSME sector. The workshop focused on the impacts of various energy efficiency programmes and how EESL, through its innovative, transparent, and procurement–based business model of consolidating demand for products, is enabling market transformation in terms of affordability and adoption of energy efficient products in India. Discussions and deliberations at the workshop aimed at encouraging participation of the MSME sector in the field of energy efficiency. EESL’s business model, which focused on procurement, showcased the roadmap to make energy efficiency more accessible and affordable in India. Mr. Rajneesh Rana, General Manager, Energy Efficiency Services Limited, commented, “Involving all the stakeholders proactively through industry awareness programmes and accommodating the suggestions received, EESL has created a healthy and congenial environment for healthy competition and wide participation. We believe that vendor development and orientation is a crucial part of enhancing the capacity of industries. The MSME sector serves as a strong backbone for a growing economy and we are pleased to develop a forward-looking framework that can enable a wider participation of the sector in all EESL programmes.” Having played a significant role in developing the Indian LED industry, EESL is now doing the same for electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, smart metering and trigeneration. EESL’s novel business models of zero-subsidy, zero-capex and pay-as-you-save have made its various programmes widely successful. These include the Building Energy Efficiency Programme, Agriculture Demand Side Management, Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All, and Street Light National Programme. Due to effective planning, demand forecasting and its 5R’s of procurement (Right Source, Right Time, Right Quality, Right Quantity and Right Price), EESL has successfully engaged with the industry and has been effective in leveraging demand aggregation and economies of scale. With its mandate of conceptualising and implementing country-wide programmes that promote use of energy–efficient products to meet the country’s sustainable development goals, EESL, in the last four years, has received positive feedback from varied public authorities and other stakeholders. EESL won the prestigious South Asia Procurement Innovation Award (SAPIA) 2017 for ‘Public Procurement’. The award recognises innovative thinking in ‘Public Procurement’ to achieve better value for money, efficiency and transparency in a wide range of procurement scenarios. EESL is also the first energy company from India to receive the award for procurement and has been rated the best procurement agency from India for ‘Unlocking Energy Efficiency Market in India – through Innovative Procurement Business Model’ by World Bank.