The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 has been approved by Rajya Sabha and is now law. The Bill was already approved by Lok Sabha. The Energy Conservation Act of 2001 is being modified by the proposed bill. It encourages energy saving and efficiency giving authority to the Centre to define a carbon credit trading programme.
The law also states that certain users may be forced to obtain a certain percentage of their energy from non-fossil sources. Office and residential buildings with a connected load of 100 kW or more are subject to the building energy conservation code.
Replying to a debate on the Bill in the  House, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh, said that it is a matter of pride for all the citizens, the way India has moved on energy transition and enhanced the renewable energy capacity. He said, the Energy Ministers of the various countries who have visited India, are impressed with the progress in renewable the energy sector.
He said, no developed country has made as much progress as India in energy transition and climate action.  Singh informed the House that during 2015 at COP-21, as part of its Nationally determined contributions, NDCs, India had committed to achieving 40 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030. He said the country has achieved this target in November 2021, nine years ahead of the set target.
Participating in the discussion, P Wilson of DMK has praised the government for taking efforts for reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment.
However, he said, certain provisions of the Bill need reconsideration.  Sandeep Kumar Pathak of AAP termed this Bill a futuristic step highlighting the need to take steps to create necessary infrastructure and attract investment in the renewal energy sector.
Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD said the Bill is silent on the calculation of emissions. Dr V Sivadasan of CPI (M) said the Centre must give the right to state for managing energy conservation methods and procedures.
Shaktisinh Gohil of Congress said, the bill is silent on the regulatory mechanism of carbon trading. Ram Chander Jangra of BJP said this is an important bill as the government has taken a series of measures for the conservation of energy including the introduction of LED bulbs. Abdul Wahab of IUML urged the government to make it consumer-friendly.
Muzibulla Khan of BJD, S Niranjan Reddy of YSR Congress, Vaiko of MDMK, Dr Fauzia Khan of NCP, Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena, Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar of TDP, M Thambidurai of AIADMK, Mahua Maji of JVM and other members also participated in the discussion.