APPLICATIONS DUE: July 7, 2010

The Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program (CLASP) is an international consortium that promotes energy efficiency standards and labeling for commonly used appliances and equipment. CLASP joined the ClimateWorks Foundation’s network as a Best Practice Network (BPN) in March of 2009. As a BPN, CLASP has expanded its efforts to support nations around the world that seek to improve energy efficiency in appliances, lighting, and equipment, and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

Leveraging support from the ClimateWorks Foundation, CLASP desires to add value to the Indian Energy Efficiency Standards & Labeling dialogue. To that end, CLASP is seeking to identify technical experts on inverters, inverter batteries and uninterrupted power supplies (UPS). These experts will work with CLASP and its partners in the development of technical analysis in support of India’s energy efficiency standards.

Introduction:

The Government of India introduced the Energy Conservation (EC) Act 2001 and created the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) as a statutory body to implement the Act. S&L are two major program areas being implemented by BEE. BEE works through committees of experts and stakeholders, including representatives from industry, consumer organizations, and industrial associations, who determine how the program should be implemented on a product-by-product basis. BEE launched the first voluntary comparative energy label for refrigerators in May 2006. Other labeled domestic products to-date are air-conditioners, tubular florescent lamps, storage water heaters (geysers), colour televisions, ceiling fans and cooking gas stoves.

BEE has identified inverters (including the inverter battery and UPS) as a significant source of backup power in India. Most businesses and many households use inverters to provide power to essential appliances during power outages. Inverters essentially are on all the time, charging or on standby, and may consume power continuously. The exact power demands of inverters are not well known, and the options for improving their performance are not yet well researched.ⁱ

It is expected that the market for inverters (with batteries) and UPS will grow rapidly over the next years, potentially leading to substantial energy demands and efficiency losses across India. To assist BEE in its decision about a possible standard and/or label for inverters and inverter batteries, CLASP is seeking to identify and mobilize technical experts to analyze:

• the size of the market;
• the technologies and range of efficiencies currently available in the market; and those currently not marketed but potentially available;
• available Indian and international test standards for inverters, batteries and UPS
• relevant testing capacities in India (government, manufacturer and/or third-party laboratories)
• the typical costs of products;
• the typical power demand during charging and during standby; and
• the typical energy demand and energy losses per product.

The analysis needs to be concluded by the end of 2010.

Responsibilities:

Technical experts should have strong expertise in product specifications, test procedures, and energy efficiency standards for the identified products. Technical experts will collaborate with BEE and CLASP in the analysis of inverters, UPS and inverter batteries. Experts are expected to present the methodology used, interim results and consult with BEE and CLASP at each stage of the analysis, and participate in stakeholder consultations if needed. All findings should be documented in task reports, and the analysis should be summarized in an overview report setting out the national impacts of inverters in the current situation, and projected impacts if improved products were mandated and labeled.

The technical experts will be required to fulfill the following tasks and responsibilities:

1. Assess the size of the market for inverters and UPS units (number and typical sizes of inverters and UPS units sold; market shares of main 5-10 suppliers; main distribution channels);
2. Assess the inverter, UPS and battery technologies currently on the Indian market; and those currently not marketed but potentially available;
3. Assess typical manufacturing and consumer / end-user costs of different sizes and technology types of inverters and UPS;
4. Assess the range of power demands of inverters and UPS currently in the market, while charging and in standby mode;
5. Assess typical power demands of new technologies not yet marketed;
6. Assess typical usage hours, in charging mode, standby mode, and power supply mode;
7. Assess typical energy demands and energy losses of different sizes of inverter and UPS technology;
8. Assess the national impacts of inverters and UPS (national annual energy demand and losses; annual market turnover; annual energy cost), for the current situation and for (2 to 3) scenarios in which more efficient inverters and UPS units would be mandated.

Submittal:

Interested party should submit:

(1) A full resume (1 page) of the individual conducting the study or, if a team effort, of each member of the team, including contact information. CLASP reserves the right to mix individuals that it selects from proposing teams to build the best International team possible;

(2) A detailed statement explaining why the proposed project leader is the best-suited expert for this study. If a team is proposed, credentials for all team members and the approach to jointly work should be summarized in one additional page per member;

(3) A detailed statement (3 pages) of the general approach he or she would undertake in conducting the research, describing data sources, analytical methodology, if applicable identifying recent and ongoing studies and initiatives that need to be taken into account to avoid overlap and duplication, etc;

(4) A work plan outlining roles, responsibilities, tasks, deliverables and timelines. A budget estimating costs broken down by major expense category in terms of testing and manpower including the hourly or daily rates for each member of the team.

We request that technical component of the proposal documents be submitted as a single electronic file (preferably in pdf format). We further request that the file be named as per the following example: “Contractor Name: Product: RFQ #5-10”

The financial proposal may be submitted in hard copy through courier/registered post to:
79, Navjeevan Vihar
Ground floor
New Delhi – 110017

Please note that the sealed envelope should be addressed to Mr. Bodhisatya Datta and clearly mention - Response to RFQ #5-10

If necessary for the selection process, CLASP may request additional information from any applicant.

Interested firms/individuals are required to register as CLASP Implementing Partners at http://www.clasponline.org/clasp.online.partnership.php?partner_registration=1 before final submittal. Any questions about CLASP’s Partner Process may be directed to Corinne Schneider via email at cschneider@clasponline.org.

Interested Implementing Partners must submit the requested information by e-mail (please include "Response to RFQ #5-10" in the subject line) to Bodhisatya Datta at: bdatta@clasponline.org

Applications are due by July 7, 2010. 

Selection:

A panel appointed by CLASP will evaluate qualifications received from respondents. Selection of qualified experts will be based upon the following criteria:

• Extent of international and local experience with standards and labeling analysis as well as with inverters and UPS units. Teams having a mix of local and international experts are preferred;
• Experience working collaboratively with other experts on energy;
• Experience of working on at least one product for S&L with BEE;
• Familiarity with product-specific test procedures and efficiency standards;

Additional information about CLASP’s selection process is available at - www.clasponline.org/partnership.php?nnx=7&no=11.

All questions may be directed to Bodhisatya Datta at: bdatta@clasponline.org. We request all enquiries be made by email and not by phone.

Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS, also known as uninterruptible power source or battery/flywheel backup) provide essentially the same functionality, however, for appliances and equipment that need emergency power without interruption in case of power failure. Although the basic function of inverters and UPS is similar, there are some technical differences that need to be taken into account in an analysis.