Energy efficiency

The 1973 Arab embargo hurt the Japanese economy very badly. But as always, they tackled the situation sensibly. According to Morgan Stanley analysts, it was a focus on energy efficiency that helped the Japs bring down their oil dependency from 77 percent to 49 percent and save over $140 billion every year! Today they have invested in nuclear energy and natural gas. They have over 55 reactors and stand third in nuclear energy after France and the US.

Denmark is yet another country that was badly affected during the same time. It went into the act with a single-minded determination and went for energy efficiency and conservation. Sunday driving was banned, gasoline taxes, carbon taxes, efficiency standards for applicances and buildings, etc saw the economy revive and now, energy tech exports are a major contributor to its revenue. With 20 percent of its electricity coming from wind power, it plans to increase tax on energy so that the revenue can be used to cut personal income. Incentives all the way!

Thomas Friedman who was in Denmark recently was amazed to see energy sensors that detect motion and put on and off the lights, something which he confesses he has yet to see in the USA! And toilets with dual flush, depending on the output! What's more, 50 percent of the commuters on the road take to cycling.

Think about that. Two small nations with big visions.

Why can't we in India, the IT superpower, implement similar measures? When oil prices go sky-rocketing, what do we do? Very reluctantly we hike the price. Everything is dicatated by populist policies, after all. And what does this half-measure convey to the consumer? That all is hunky-dory, price rise is a temporary thing, and there is plenty of oil and coal waiting to be mined and exploited. In fact, according to news reports, there was a rise in petrol sales around that time!

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has, after much deliberation, come out with labelling a few equipment, and making conservation standards mandatory for air-conditioned buildings. Lots more can be done. Much can be saved by organisations and the government by simple measures put in place. But it has to be done now, and not take yugas. We need to shake that lethargy away.
Finally, how many of us will go to a shop and look for energy conserving devices? Chances are that we will look for the price tag. Not that we are poor, we are NOT. (Definitely not the people who buy these devices.) We are simply used to cheap stuff.

It's time we remember energy is not cheap. Will not be, ever. It's time we learnt to become energy savvy, right?