Shri R. K. Singh, Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy, today launched the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021–22 report. The RPM (Review, Planning and Monitoring) meeting of States and State Utilities in New Delhi saw the release of the SEEI. The Alliance for an Energy-Efficient Economy (AEEE) and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a statutory agency under the Ministry of Electricity, devised an index to measure annual progress made by states and UTs in implementing energy efficiency during the fiscal years 2020–21 and 2021–22. An new framework of 50 indicators that is in line with national priorities is included in SEEI 2021–22. This year, program-specific indicators have been added to track the results and effects of state-level energy efficiency programmes.

Five states—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Telangana—are in the Front Runner category in the SEEI 2021–22 (>60 points), while four states—Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Punjab—are in the Achiever group (50-60 points). Moreover, the best-performing states in their respective state groupings are Chandigarh, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Karnataka. The two states that improved the most from the previous index were Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

"As we transition to a low-carbon economy, it is vital to achieve sustainable development with Energy Transition that ensures no one is left behind," remarked Shri R. K. Singh on introducing the index. It is crucial to regularly monitor state energy efficiency progress and results in order to properly support the country's climate goals.

"India is committed to reaching NDC goals and transitioning to a net-zero economy by 2070," the Director General of BEE stated. Collaboration between the federal and state governments, wise resource management, policy alignment, and consistent progress monitoring are all necessary for this. The SEEI promotes energy efficiency policies and programmes at the state and municipal levels while monitoring success in controlling the energy footprint of states and India.

The SEEI enhances data gathering, permits interstate cooperation, and generates programme ideas for energy efficiency. It supports states in identifying opportunities for development, learning from best practises, and implementing energy efficiency across the entire economy. It intends to advance decarbonization efforts and create a more sustainable future by giving energy efficiency priority.

The index presents the following recommendations to help states drive change in EE that will contribute to the fulfilment of the SDGs and NDC in order to track progress on state goals for energy savings and reduction in emission intensity:

1. Providing financial support for energy efficiency in the focus sectors
2. Building institutional capacity in states and UTs to manage new demands and difficulties in implementing energy efficiency
3. Strengthening cross-functional cooperation between financial institutions, energy service providers, and energy experts in the execution of extensive energy efficiency in states
4. Integrating reporting and monitoring of energy data across sectors