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Having worked for over 30 years in the field of energy conservation, still the same question comes to my mind. What are the approaches energy conservation?There are several approaches to energy conservation, the list is ever growing: 1. Efficient Energy Use: Using energy-efficient equipment and technologies, such as LED lighting, and energy-efficient blowers, motors & boilers. Atleast over 100 energy efficient technologies, I have come accross. 2. Energy Recovery: Recovering energy from waste heat, steam, or other sources. Especially we come across with many cases in waste heat recovery. A regenerative braking is a good example in EVs. 3. Energy Storage: Storing energy for later use, such as in batteries or other storage systems. This area is fast becoming important. 4. Load Management: Managing energy demand to reduce peak loads and optimize energy use. To maximize load factor incentives, this method is very useful. 5. Fuel Switching: Switching to more energy-efficient fuels or energy sources, such as renewable energy. There have been many boiler fuel conversation projects switching from petroleum based fuels to agricultural waste based briquets. 6. Process Optimization: Optimizing industrial processes to reduce energy consumption. Though it is very process specific, however it offers corresponding benefits as well. Conversion from Induction motor based hydraulic system to servo motor based hydraulic system is a good example of this. 7. Building Insulation and Design: Designing buildings with energy efficiency in mind, including insulation and passive solar design. This is applicable mostly with new building designs. 8. Renewable Energy Generation: Generating energy from renewable sources, such as solar, wind, or geothermal energy. A lot of business models have come up taking advantage of open access rules. Solar Captive & Group Captive contracts are offering 20 to 40% reduction in electricity procurement. 9. Energy Audits and Monitoring: Conducting energy audits and monitoring energy use to identify opportunities for energy conservation. Here now companies are not offering only energy audits but also providing services & taking turnkey contracts for implementation of energy saving projects. 10. Behavioral Change: Encouraging individuals to adopt energy-conserving behaviors, such as turning off lights and equipment when not in use. Though simple but difficult to inculcate. It depends on company's culture & training. These approaches can be applied in various sectors, including industry, transportation, buildings, and agriculture, to reduce energy consumption and mitigate climate change.
There are a lot more electricity related technical areas where electricity conservation exists and obtainable. As regards to sl no 7, energy efficiency can only be possible by stoppages of Refrigeration cycle in the air conditioner and it was not achievable by mere retrofitting works and reductions of heat loads. In old and existing buildings were also such energy efficiency can be achieved.
Rightly said.. in addition to above adoption of system approach can help organisations to sustain and achieve continual improvement..adoption of systems like ISO50001 standard, coupled with measurement, monitoring softwares like EnMS n GHG accounting can make a difference
Most effective methodoloy for Energy conservation is to Build Attitude to efficient and effective use of Energy. Once you make a behavioural change. It changes your thought process.. You will start finding the gaps/ inefficient use. Once you mentally agree the problem , you of your own start search for solution..
All sorts of approaches are listed nicely and all of them should be employed while devising the energy plan of an organisation.
Certainly covers all the aspects. Wondering if the most complex one is the number 10 :)
Excellent summary Milind Chittawar
Thank you for the compilation.
Very informative and simplified description.
Good Summary.
Proprietor - Entech Engineers, Technical Representative for India - CALGAVIN Ltd., UK
2wGood compilation Milind. As process/ operations person, I always like to focus on process optimization, starting from 'avoiding/ minimizing', energy recovery/ cross exchange, conversion to more of continuous operation from batch mode, analyzing the peak loads / design the system accordingly, take advantage of grades of energy levels (air cooling vs CW vs ChW vs Brine; or different levels of steam pressures) etc. It is a huge subject but plant/ process specific (and my passion) :)