NEW DELHI:
The Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA), a government advisory organisation overseen by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, has created a new gas burner for home Piped Natural Gas (PNG) users.
The new gas stove will reduce household piped gas usage and monthly expenditures by up to 25%.
The PCRA has also inked an agreement with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Ministry of Power, to distribute PNG-based cooking stoves that are energy-efficient to customers under the 'Energy Efficient PNG Cook Stove' (EEPS) programme. EESL would distribute 10 lakh gas stoves across the country in the first phase.
The MoU states that EESL would make the PNG gas stove available to customers at a reasonable price. According to officials, in the absence of a PNG-specific gas stove, consumers began utilising gas stoves designed for LPG cylinders.
As a result, the thermal efficiency of PNG drops to 40%. "This leads to higher consumption of gas. Tampering with an ISI standard stove also compromises on its safety," claimed a government official.
According to the organisation, if all present PNG users switch to the new gas stove, it will save Rs 3901 crore in piped natural gas per year. An average user will save between Rs 100 and Rs 150. In addition, it will reduce CO2 emissions by 11 million tonnes.
"It's we not only switched to a green and clean source of energy but also used it safely and efficiently. The PNG gas stove, developed by the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, is more thermally efficient and safer. It is available now on e-commerce platforms and the local markets. We have signed an agreement with EESL to make the new PNG gas stove available to the piped gas consumers through different schemes and offers," said Dr Niranjan Kumar Singh, Executive Director, PCRA.
According to PCRA, there are currently around 74 lakh PNG users in the nation, with an additional 80,000 added each month.
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