Energy-efficient appliances also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can cut the harmful release to the extent of five crore tonnes annually by 2020, industry experts pointed out.

Union Power Ministry Additional Secretary Ashok Lavasa said there was need for government-industry collaboration to induct new technologies as widespread use of energy-efficient devices can lead to enormous economic gains.

He said Rs.23,000 crore was spent on clean energy programmes last year. “While dependence on fossil fuels will continue in the coming years, businesses and attitudes should be focused on energy conservation,” he pointed out.

Making a reference to star-labelled appliances and the impact on consumers and consumption patterns, Bureau of Energy Efficiency director-general Ajay Mathur said about 1.15 crore labelled air-conditioners have been sold across the country during the past five years.

“The latest innovations in the air-conditioning sector of using inverter or variable refrigerant volume or variable refrigerant flow technology or using the same machine to both cool and heat the rooms can be a game-changer,” he said.

The star labelling scheme that is an outcome of the National Action Plan on Climate Change is being implemented by BEE and has made star labelling mandatory for frost-free refrigerators, room air-conditioners, tubular-fluorescent lamps and distribution transformers.

Amit Khare, programme manager at the Collaborative Labelling and Appliance Standards Programme (CLASP), said that under the Montreal Protocol, hydro-chlorofluorocarbons will be phased out from 2013 and most likely replaced with hydro-fluoro-carbons as part of stringent environmental regulations.

ASSOCHAM's senior adviser for policy Arun Kumar said there was no getting away from more energy-efficient and environmentally-superior products in the long-term interests of India and rest of the world.