ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN POWER GENERATION, INDUSTRY AND BUILDINGS: A SURVEY PAPER

Reducing demand for energy through energy efficiency measures and conservation is the cheapest and most effective way for enhancing energy security, providing a stable basis for economic planning as well as cutting carbon emissions. This is a survey paper that deals with many aspects pertaining to energy efficiency, particularly in the electricity generation sector. Efficiency in the transport sector is dealt with by another paper in this session, so also aspects pertaining to sustainability. The electrical power generation sector is chosen for special emphasis due to its present low efficiency and the growing importance of electricity as the major energy carrier. Energy efficiency can be defined as percentage of total energy input to a machine, equipment or a facility that is consumed in useful work and not wasted as useless heat. The value of the global energy efficiency is debatable. Presently, however, it does not exceed 40%; that of the average electricity generation is even lower at 35%. These are extremely low figures and demonstrate the strides that can be achieved in this quarter. Most of the energy losses in delivering final energy to consumers are in the power system, and that is why this sector receives a lot of emphasis in this paper. Significant losses in converting delivered primary energy into useful energy in final use also occur in all sectors of the economy, mainly in industry, transport and buildings. Energy efficiency has to be differentiated from energy conservation or demand side management. Whereas conservation can be achieved through behavioral changes, education and pricing, energy efficiency can be mainly improved by technology, investment, codes and practices also energy (and carbon) pricing, introducing edits and enforcing regulations. Energy intensity varies from one country and region to another depending on economic output, technology achievements, price of energy products, and weather. Many barriers exist that are delaying the deployment of energy efficient technologies. In the global quest for curbing emissions, energy efficiency figures out to be the most effective and cheapest means to reduce carbon emissions. In many cases it is a win-win situation where benefits can be attained at minimum (or no) cost, with short pay-back periods. However this means overcoming many barriers, one of which is the proliferation of subsidies in the developing world. Any environmental strategy that does not have energy efficiency and conservation as a center of interest will be missing the target.