Energy Conversation Issues And Concerns
As the population in world grows and the pace of urbanization increases, energy use is bound to increase. Therefore as our wealth grows, energy use per capita will also increase. However, our per capita energy consumption is very low.
In order to increase the available supply of energy, we need to decrease the total demand for energy as well as slow the growth in energy consumption. At the similar time, we required to ensure energy security for all.
In this context, we can say that
Energy conservation is a practice for
1. Ensuring judicial usage of energy, and
2. Decreasing the quantity of energy consumed
while achieving a similar outcome of end use.
The motivations for energy conservation could be various for individual, commercial and industrial users. Direct consumers of energy such as individuals or organisations may need to conserve energy to decrease energy costs and protect the environment. Increase in efficiency and maximizing profits could be the motivation for industrial and commercial users to save energy.
Energy conservation could be a result of several processes or developments, such as increase in productivity, technological progress resulting in more energy efficient technologies and most importantly a positive attitude towards efficient energy usage. For instance, suppose the energy end-use is to remain a room cools in summers. Energy conservation efforts would look at
1. Better technology options (such as sensors to switch off the devices, films on windows, better insulation or solar passive building and etc.),
2. Reducing wasteful use of energy and increasing energy efficiency of the appliances being used, and
3. Increasing consumer awareness for reducing energy consumption.
Energy conservation is cheaper and more environmentally benign compared to increased energy production. We require encouraging it amongst all classification of consumers. You will appreciate this point better, once you study about the impact of energy production and use on the environment.