Energy has always been a vital resource in the development of any nation. The prosperity of a nation is measured in terms of per capita energy consumption besides GDP, GNP, etc. While the world has seen hectic industrial activity in the past century it has also come face to face with serious problems arising out of haphazard utilization of the energy resources. The concept was ‘More the resources (energy), more the development’. Low fuel costs did not encouraged efficient utilization of energy. During the intensive process of industrialization the world observed consumption of majority stock of its energy resources and deterioration of the global environment. Energy made up a very small component of the total production cost and monopolized business enabled recovery of high cost of energy.
The Gulf War came as an eye opener for all developed and developing countries. It was then the first time that nations importing petroleum products felt the shock when the petro-nations demanded higher price. The energy crisis of 1973 forced the world to look for an alternative arrangement to ensure energy sufficiency. This need obviously pointed at improvement of energy efficiency. The concept changed to ‘More efficiency, more productivity and reduced production cost’. This promised an immediate, long term and multi-faced solution to the problems immerging from increased energy demands against short supplies. Energy management has since become the key word for any profitable industrial unit. Besides now the ‘energy’ accounts for a sizable share in the cost of production in most of the industries.
As a result of this, positive trends have been noticed over the past decade in the energy use pattern the world over. Countries like the United States, Japan and France have managed to raise their GNP while maintaining the same energy consumption levels. In many cases while the GNP has gone up the energy consumption has exhibited reducing trends. Introduction of energy efficient technologies and effective energy management has made this possible. Efficiency of energy utilization needs to be a continuous activity as there is lots unproductive energy utilization generally observed in Indian industrial sector.
The world is moving towards a sustainable energy future with an emphasis on energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources. A finite planet cannot support infinitely increasing consumption of resources and hence the motto of present times must be to "REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE".
Degradation of Global Environment
Besides this the environmental implications of haphazard energy utilization also need to be closely studied. The process of energy generation, transport and utilization leads to environmental pollution. In-efficient use of energy has stretched the global environment to its limits as can be seen from the unprecedented and unpleasant responses of the nature in the past few years. Green house effect, global warming, acid rain, smog, deforestation, shift in climatic conditions, etc., are some of the indications. The Carbon Dioxide level in the atmosphere increased from 280 ppm in 1850 to 360 ppm at present. The average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere is likely to increase by 1.5 to 4 ºC in the next 50 years. Such temperature rises may lead to unpredicted consequences.
Setting up additional generating capacities to meet increasing energy demands would not only cost dearly but it would also add to further degradation of the environment while Energy Conservation would act as a ‘double sided sword’. Energy Conservation promises solutions to the approaching double trouble of Energy & Environment. Implementation of an effective energy management program, as far as India is concerned, would lead to energy sufficiency and environmental safety.
