India, one of the world’s top emitter of greenhouse gasses, aims to extend its lighting efficiency program to seven other Asian countries and the UK with aid from the World Bank, reported Bloomberg.

State-backed utility company Energy Efficiency Services in India says the government has signed initial agreements with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and is talks with Nepal, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand.

“We’re talking to utilities and municipal bodies in the UK to get an order, as we need scale to bring LED prices down like we have done in India,” said EESL Managing Director Saurabh Kumar at an interview in New Delhi. “Our business model and procedures remain the same, while our officials posted to Colombo, Dhaka and Bangkok will begin work in February."

Kumar optimistically forecasted implementation of international projects might begin in the next six months.

India intends to apply the same project domestically to expand usage of LED bulbs and other more energy efficient electronic equipment such as air-conditioners starting in January. Under the LED model, investments in bulb installations is repaid through power bill savings.

“Unlike other energy-efficiency initiatives, for instance the now-defunct GreenDeal in the UK which required an assessment of the property for potential energy savings, simply moving to LEDs is a sure way to save energy,” said Vandana Gombar, global policy editor at Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

World Bank

The World Bank is turning to opportunities to support other countries to improve energy efficiency through using models developed by EESL, said Simon Stolp, the lender’s lead energy specialist for South Asia.

 “The bank is interested in supporting EESL in dialog with other countries due to the success of its own domestic energy-efficiency programs in India," Stolp said in an e-mail, adding the bank recently received a request for US $300 million to support expansion of a EESL program in India.

The countries where the bank have collaborated with EESL are still to be identified, said Stolp.

Lighting makes up nearly 6% of global carbon dioxide emissions, reported The Climate Group, a London-based NGO.

A global switch to energy efficient LED technology could cut more than 1,400 million tons of carbon dioxide and remove the need to construct 1,250 power stations, it stated on its website.

The LED market will amount to US $29.6 billion by 2016, increasing to US $33.1 billion in 2017, based on LEDinside estimates of global lighting outlook.

To bring down costs, EESL is in talks with Indian banks to place a builk order to replace air conditioners and tube lights at ATMs across the country with energy efficient products.