The Union government’s Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) and LED Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP), celebrated their fifth year on 5th January 2020. These initiatives have been driven and implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a collaborative enterprise of PSUs under the Ministry of Power, Government of India. Both programs have received international accolades including the South Asia Procurement Innovation Award (SAPIA) 2017, CIO 100 award 2019, and the Global Solid State Lighting (SSL) award of excellence.
Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA)
This initiative was introduced in 2015 with the goal of replacing 77 crore traditional light bulbs with LED bulbs. The scheme aimed to mitigate the high-cost barrier of LEDs, which previously hindered the adoption of energy-efficient systems. The setup followed a phase-wise LED distribution strategy with an objective to promote efficient lighting, create awareness about using efficient equipment that reduces electricity bills and preserves the environment. It is hailed as the world’s most extensive household lighting project.
In terms of achievements, the UJALA initiative has seen over 36.13 crore LED bulbs distributed across India, resulting in an estimated energy savings of 46.92 billion kWh per year, while reducing demand peak by 9,394 MW. This has led to an estimated reduction of 38 million tons of CO2 annually. The reduced electricity bills have contributed to increasing disposable income and lifetime savings for households, thereby improving the quality of life and promoting prosperity in local communities.
As a part of the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (GSA), initiated by the Government of India in 2018, villages with poor households were able to purchase LED bulbs at a special price under the UJALA programme.
LED Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP)
Introduced in 2015, this initiative has played a pivotal role in replacing over 50 lakh street lights in more than 500 cities in India. Under the programme, EESL replaced conventional street lights with LEDs at its own expense, offering no upfront investment by the municipalities.
| State | Number of LED Streetlights |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 25 lakh |
| Gujarat | 20 lakh |
| Rajasthan | 15 lakh |
The SLNP is recognized as the world’s largest streetlight replacement programme and has installed over 1.03 crore smart LED streetlights to date. This has enabled an estimated energy savings of 6.97 billion kWh annually and reduced peak demand by 1,161 MW. It has led to an estimated reduction of 4.80 million tons CO2 yearly.
LED streetlights have been installed in several states across the country, generating around 13,000 jobs in support of the Make in India initiative. The new installations have made roads safer for pedestrians and motorists by enhancing brightness and reducing dark spots.
Looking Ahead
By March 2020, SLNP aims to substitute 1.34 crore traditional streetlights in India with smart LEDs. This target, if accomplished, will facilitate a peak demand reduction of about 1500 MW, substantial annual energy savings of 9 billion kWh and a reduction in 6.2 million tons of CO2 per year.