Regional Integrated Energy Plan is a computer assisted accounting and simulation tool being developed using Visual Basic and MS Access to assist policy makers and planners at district level in evaluating energy policies and develop ecologically sound, sustainable energy plans.

Energy availability and demand situation may be projected for various scenarios (base case scenario, high energy intensity, transformation, state growth scenarios) in order to get a glimpse of future patterns and assess the likely impacts of energy policies.

1. As a Database
   
   
   • Demography (population during 1941-1991)
   • Natural resource (land use, land cover, forest types, wastelands
   • Agriculture- crop types, production, yield, irrigation details
   • Horticulture- crop types, residues
   • Plantation - area, type (social forestry programme)
   
   
2. Maintains energy information

   Data entry, data append, edit, unit conversions, querying, data retrieval, generation of reports, generation of graphs, link to spatial maps (district/taluk/village)

3. Forecasting tool

   To make projections of energy supply and demand at 5 years interval

4. Policy analysis tool

   Simulates and assesses the effects of alternative energy programmes (technical economic, environmental effects).

5. Bibliography

   Abstracts of papers published in journals and energy database of other regions.

6. Links to various energy sites (URL of prominent sites dealing with energy and environment)
   
   

Energy resources database (renewable and non renewable), energy demand database(sectorwise), environmental database, data aggregation, data analysis (energy scenarios, techno economic analysis) and integrated plan are the various modules being incorporated in the Integrated Regional Energy Plan. The energy scenarios module along with energy demand, transformation, techno-economic and environment module are used (in integrated module) to perform an integrated energy-environment planning exercise for a region (village / blocks/ taluk / district / state). Environmental database is used automatically calculate environmental impacts of energy scenarios.

Scenario analyses aids in creating a picture of the current energy situation and estimated future changes based on expected or likely plans and growth patterns. Base case or business-as-usual is based on present population growth, industrialisation, agricultural energy requirement.

1. Transformation

   Through introduction of energy efficient devices such as fuel efficient stoves, improved furnaces, boilers, dryers, compact florescent lamps etc.

2. Projection based on high energy intensity (such as rapid industrialisation with an energy demand increase of 20%)
   
   
3. Projection based on state averages (growth in household, industry, agricultural and commercial sectors)
   
   
4. Introduction of renewable energy technologies (solar, hydro, bio energy etc.) and agroforestry (conversion of wastelands with locally accepted species)
   
   

Data aggregation allows for coordinated planning at more than one spatial level. Such as energy scenario can be developed at village level and then aggregated to the taluk / district level.

Techno-economic analyses provides technical and economic viability of alternatives. This programmes draws upon the analytical methodology of "life-cycle" analysis. For each energy sources and technology option it also traces energy inputs and environmental impacts.

Integrated module integrates energy supply and demand analysis with energy scenario programmes and provides a full range of optimal policy alternatives in a common framework. This enables the policy maker / decision makers to examine the critical relationships between supply and demand, land use, bio-resource issues, environmental sustainability and economic development.