Companies promote use of CFL in UP

Lucknow, Jun 1: In an innovative way to conserve electricity, representatives from two private companies will knock at every door here this month asking bonafide power consumers to switch over to CFLs.

They will pursue consumers to swap their tube lights and bulbs with CFL bulbs - costing anything between Rs 10 and Rs 12.

This will be a part of the state government's move to make power consumers switch to CFL by systematically phasing out traditional tube lights and bulbs, official sources here today said.

Two private companies - Cantour CO2 from Mumbai and Banyan Pvt Ltd from Hyderabad - have entered into an agreement with the state government to supply CFL bulbs to domestic power consumers at subsidised rates.

The project is likely to start from this month end when volunteers of these two private companies will go from door to door asking power consumers to switch over to CFL. If the consumers agree, the companies will offer CFL bulbs at subsidised rates of Rs 10 and Rs 12 against the market price of Rs 100.

Official sources said the project is aimed at conserving electricity as well as protecting environment.'' There are 93 lakh bonafide domestic power consumers in the state. Even if half of them switch over to CFL, the state would save almost 500 MW electricity per day,''sources said.

Interestingly, to set up a power station that can generate 500 MW of electricity per day the government will have to spend Rs 200 crore.

Sources said in this project state government will not be spending a penny. It will only act as a facilitator and provide support to the private companies to identify bonafide power consumers.

It is not charity that these two companies have indulged in - by promoting CFL they will earn carbon ratings that can be exchanged for money.The carbon rating is million dollar business that deals with saving fossil fuel and saving environment by lesser emission of carbon dioxide.

Sources further said by promoting use of CFL these companies will promote saving energy and environment. ''As UP has a vast volume (of power consumers), the carbon rating earned by these companies through saving energy would help them earn millions of dollars,'' sources added.

Though carbon dioxide has become a cause of global panic, this is now turning into a product that helps people, countries, consultants, traders, corporations and even farmers earn billion of rupees.

Initially, government had plans to switch all the state government offices from traditional lights to CFL. High level meetings were held on this issue but the project was shelved because the cost of CFL was very high.

The new alternative has given an impetus to the government scheme.

The companies want to enter the market only if the volume of consumers are high so that carbon rating they earn can translate into good money.

''We have provided them the big market. If this scheme goes well, both government and companies would stand benefited. We will save electricity and companies would earn credit ratings,'' the official said.

UNI