VISAKHAPATNAM: The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has come forward to turn the Tirumala temple into an eco-friendly and energy efficient pilgrim centre.
The BEE has given its consent to AP State Energy Conservation Mission for providing technical and financial support for conducting large-scale investment-grade energy audit in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and its allied temples and choultries.
Of the total energy consumption of 68 million units per annum in TTD, around 30% of the consumption is met from solar and wind power generation. The remaining 70% of electricity needs of 435 lakh units for TTD and its allied temples around Tirumala hills is being supplied by Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited.
A national-level expert energy audit agency, empanelled with BEE, will now take up an investment-grade energy audit of water pump sets from July 5 at TTD. This would find out the performance and efficiency of the existing water pumps, and list those which require replacement.
As water management is a priority for TTD, efficient water pumping management plays a key role. In the existing 399 pump sets with a total load of 3,500 HP, it is preliminarily assessed that 20% of energy, i.e. around 1.14 million units, can be saved.
In a preliminary energy audit by APSECM in TTD temples, it was observed that energy savings through replacement of existing 38,000 fans with superefficient ones with an investment of Rs 9.5 crore would save 5.02 million units per annum. In monetary terms, this would save Rs 4.5 crore per annum.
Similarly, replacement of no star/single star air conditioners with five-star ACs and installation of AC savers for the existing 1,608 ACs with an investment of Rs 8.4 crore is estimated to save 3.09 million units. This would save Rs 1.85 crore per annum.
During a webinar conducted between energy department and TTD, executive officer of TTD K S Jawahar Reddy, said energy efficient and water management practices would showcase TTD as one among the top temples across the globe.
