AS WORLD LEADERS GEAR UP TO ADDRESS GLOBAL ENERGY ISSUES AT THE COPENHAGEN SUMMIT, EXPERTS PREDICT GROWING DEMAND FOR ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS. RUCHI CHOPDA SHEDS LIGHT ON AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES

The mounting pressure on developing nations like India to commit to limiting greenhouse emissions has caused immense anxiety within the energy sector in the country. Nevertheless, it is evident that like her developing counterparts, India too will have to show her resolve and solidarity in combating global climate change, while retaining her growth rate. Within such a framework of policies, focusing on optimal utilisation of energy resources, energy management is set to become one of the hottest professions in the near future. Concurs Dr S Jayaraj, Professor and Course Coordinator, Energy Management, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, “Though admittedly, not many industries are aware about the need for energy management professionals in India, we are slowly catching up with the western world, where these professionals are highly sought after. As HR personnel from different industries become aware of the varied roles that energy management professionals can play, they prefer to hire them instead of mechanical engineering students, who have the technical knowledge but lack managerial skills.” Adds career counsellor Jayanti Ghose, “With the increasing consciousness of the quality of our environment, and with the realisation of the fact that we may soon run out of exhaustible energy resources, energy management is now being given due importance.”

WHAT IS ENERGY MANAGEMENT?

Energy management is at a very nascent stage in India. This often leads to confusion regarding the term among laymen. Energy management refers to efficient and optimal consumption of energy by an industrial unit. Abhinav Gupta, a second-year MTech in Environment and Energy Management student at IIT-D, informs, “Energy management does not focus solely on managerial skills. The job of an energy manager blends technical know-how with managerial abilities. One needs to know the technical aspects in order to be able to manage them successfully.”

JOB JAMBOREE

Graduates can consider a number of options in the energy sector, including oil and gas, renewable energy, and power transmission and distribution firms. Graduates can pursue either of two major roles, those of energy managers or auditors in various industries, or energy consulting firms.
   An energy manager is responsible for the energy policy of his firm. As a professional, he is required to formulate a plan of optimal utilisation of energy within the firm. Other responsibilities of an energy manager include ensuring the maintenance and regular collection of accurate records and energy monitoring data, developing, coordinating, and implementing strategies and policies to reduce energy consumption, and devising policies for buying energy and helping firms in contract negotiations. The energy manager also has to furnish information related to energy consumption of the industrial unit, to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and state-level agency designated to keep a tab on the energy consumption of industries.
   An energy auditor is required to conduct a detailed energy audit of firms and identify any wastage of energy, while suggesting financially viable means for possible energy savings. Other key responsibilities include identifying and prioritising energy-saving measures after analysing their technical and financial feasibility, recommending energy efficient technologies and alternate energy sources, and following up with the implementation of these technologies.
   As per the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, energy intensive industries, including sugar, iron and steel, textiles, chemicals, railways, transport, petrochemicals, electricity transmission and distribution companies, and even commercial buildings/ establishments, have to designate or appoint an energy manager. Hence, the opportunities for these professionals are vast.
   In order to become a certified energy manager/ auditor, candidates are required to pass the national-level certification exam conducted by BEE. Visit www.aipnpc.org for eligibility and exam details.
   Elaborating on other opportunities energy management graduates should consider, Yagya Ahuja, CEO, Global Energy Talent, a leading energy talent management firm, shares, “Fresh graduates can look at a number of other roles, such as oil and gas traders for financial companies, and in industries like airlines and utilities, or as carbon credits traders, in designing, implementation, and management of energy management systems. Ahuja also adds that government organisations and regulatory bodies such as the BEE, research institutes, and other academic organisations, offer a host of roles for graduates like researchers, business development officers, auditors, traders, consultants, etc. Students with an MBA in Energy Management (currently offered only at the Management Development Institute, Delhi) can expect to be recruited at the mid-management level as consultants in various firms - both in the energy, as well as non-energy sector, which includes companies like Infosys, Tata Power, Reliance Energy, Suzlon Energy, ONGC, BHEL, L&T, Asian Paints, etc.

MONEY MATTERS

Dr Jayaraj reveals, “Like all other industries, the current financial downturn has impacted the number of jobs and salary sizes in this industry as well. However, even during the slowdown, companies have been hiring energy management professionals, albeit in lower numbers and at lower pay packets. Last year, of the 12 students we had, 10 were successfully placed.” Salaries depend on your degree and experience. So, if you have an MBA in Energy Management, you can expect a salary of around Rs nine to ten lakh. This figure would obviously be lower in the case of an MTech graduate, who can expect to command around Rs four to five lakh annually. Institutes claim that before the credit crunch affected economies, MBAs had been offered sums as high as Rs 20 lakh, and MTech students were paid as high as Rs 10 lakh.

BRIGHT FUTURE

With the number of private companies venturing into the energy sector in India, the future for professionals in this industry is
indeed bright. Concurs Ahuja, “About 60 per cent of world energy needs are satisfied by the oil and gas sector that faces a major talent crunch. As the contribution of alternative energy producing sectors like hydro, nuclear, coal, wind, solar and geothermal, in the global energy pie increases, the demand for professionals in this sector will increase as well, leading to a rise in pay packets. The dearth of skilled manpower in this sector would also lead to a situation, where professionals will have opportunities to shoulder bigger challenges and responsibilities much earlier in their career. This provides a great window of opportunity for energy professionals, as they get invaluable management experience earlier in their careers.”
   Vouching for the immense number of global opportunities that graduates can consider, Dr Atmanand, Dean, Executive Postgraduate Programmes, School of Energy Management, Management Development Institute, Delhi, says, “The rising number of MNCs like Suzlon, Cairns Energy, Oracle Utility, and AREVA, has led to increased options abroad. Additionally, students also have the option of pursuing further education in fields like renewable energy management, energy trading and carbon financing - fields that are generating a lot of attention in developed countries.”

TRAINING TALK

Informs Ghose, “There are no undergraduate degrees in energy management and only a few colleges have recently begun to offer engineering degrees in energy at the undergraduate level. In fact, not a single batch of energy engineering graduates has passed out yet. Even the B-Schools and universities offering the MBA programme are very new.” Thus, if one wants to pursue a programme in energy management, it would have to be a management, MTech or certificate programme at the postgraduate level. One needs to be an engineering graduate in order to pursue an MTech in the subject. However, for a management degree, one can be a graduate in any discipline.

INSTITUTE INDICATOR

School of Energy Management, Management Development Institute, Delhi (www.mdi.ac.in) Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (www.iitd.ac.in) National Institute of Technology, Calicut (www.nitc.ac.in) TERI University, New Delhi (www.teriuniversity.ac.in) National Productivity Council (www.npcindia.org)   (Indicative listing) ruchi.chopda@timesgroup.com