• State-owned Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL) has signed a pact with the Ladakh administration to make the Union Territory carbon-neutral.

• Under the MoU, various clean energy and energy-efficiency programmes will be implemented.

• CESL is an energy company that is focused on delivering clean, affordable and reliable energy.

• Beginning with a pilot project in the Zanskar valley area, CESL will take up solar mini and micro-grid solutions, energy-efficient lighting, energy storage-based solutions, efficient cooking stoves and electric mobility solutions in the UT.

• CESL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), will build the EV ecosystem for the UT, focusing on EV charging infrastructure which will utilise renewable sources of power, and electric vehicles (EVs) that are being tested for high altitudes.

• CESL will come up with clean solutions for home appliances, electric heating, cooking and pump sets for Ladakh's very cold temperatures. It will be able to eliminate fossil fuel in furtherance of Ladakh's carbon-neutral goal.

• Like all CESL's projects, this programme will also be based on innovative business models, using carbon credits.

Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL)

• Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) is a newly established subsidiary of state-owned Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). 

• CESL is focused on delivering clean, affordable and reliable energy. 

• It focuses on energy solutions that lie at the confluence of renewable energy, electric mobility and climate change. 

• It builds upon the decentralized solar development experience in under-served rural communities in India, and over time, using battery energy storage, will deliver renewable energy solutions to power agricultural pumps, street lighting, domestic lighting and cooking appliances in villages. 

• CESL will also work to enable battery powered electric mobility and its infrastructure and design business models to increase the uptake of electric vehicles in India. 

• To enable commercialization of these solutions at scale, CESL will employ business models that utilize a blend of concessional and commercial capital, carbon finance and grants as appropriate. 

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) 

• Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) is a super Energy Service Company (ESCO), which enables consumers, industries and governments to effectively manage their energy needs through energy efficient technologies. 

• EESL is implementing the world’s largest energy efficiency portfolio across sectors like lighting, buildings, electric mobility, smart metering, agriculture, etc. 

• EESL’s energy efficiency solutions have saved India over 47 billion kWh energy annually while reducing 36.5 million tonnes of carbon emission.

• Founded in 2009, EESL is promoted by ministry of power as a Joint Venture of four reputed public- sector undertakings — NTPC Limited, Power Finance Corporation Limited, REC Limited and POWERGRID Corporation of India Limited. 

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