Can energy efficiency do it?

Shortfall of 200 MW in the state will bring back power cuts, say latest news reports. While this can be temporarily solved by borrowing from surplus areas, in the long run this will not be enough. Already the nation is importing coal (around 20 million tones during 2007-08) and this figure will grow, according to analysts.

Without energy, forget sustaining the growth, let alone boosting it. Do we need a crisis (worser than the present recession!) to take bold initiatives, to think in different ways?

Why not declare 2009 the year of energy efficiency? It does not require drastic technology, but merely calls upon ways to extract more out of less.

Global recession is the time to cut short on excesses, but more so on waste. While renewable energies will eventually become cost effective, for now they continue to be a slightly higher on production costs than fossil fuels. It is clear that recession will not be the time for them to flourish.

Energy efficiency helped US oil consumption fall by 5 percent this year. The coal and gas demand was the same as in the previous year. In total, it meant a reduction in emissions over the previous year by 2.5 percent. Since the 1990s this has been the lowest net emissions.

Energy efficiency is not about cutting down on requirements, but about how stringently these can be met. It can be done with a combination of punitive measures and incentives. Give substantial incentives on power savings by individuals and institutions, and a bigger one to those who go off the grid.

To begin with, get energy audits done on homes, offices, and manufacturing plants. Give tax credits for conservation. Next, provide cost-effective efficiency upgrades like CFL and LED lighting, region-specific air-conditioning norms, building materials with low embodied energy, etc. So much of heat generated in industrial units is wasted. If this can be captured and put to use, energy demand will be lower.

A body of engineers can be entrusted with the job of monitoring the changes, and perfecting the system. We already have experienced accredited groups doing such work on a voluntary basis.

The savings accrued for such an exercise can be deployed in other crucial areas.

There have been spurts of initiatives but not many have succeeded beyond creating the initial hype.

It was almost two years ago that the AP state government issued a circular to all its departments on strict measures to conserve energy. This included lighting, use of lifts, water heating by solar, etc. It was to appoint inspectors to check on the implementation of the same. But down the months, things have gone back to square one. Besides a few CFLs distributed in places, not much is visible!

Just last month, in the face of power crisis, the Tamil Nadu government announced energy conservation measures in all its offices and educational institutions and industries. Government offices, including local bodies and public sector undertakings, have been directed to reduce their overall power consumption by 10 per cent by the end of current billing cycle or one month, whichever was earlier and by 20 per cent within six months.

All new buildings to be constructed by the government, local bodies and government undertakings are to incorporate energy efficiency measures. The TNEB would monitor the power consumption in all government buildings in the state.

But again, how effective this will be, and for how long, seems to be seen.

It stands to reason that if waste of energy is minimized, there will be infusion of new energy into the system. Load shedding may not be required.

If you disagree about the crucial role of energy efficiency, and believe that this alone is not enough, do let us know.