TITLE OF RESEARCH PAPER

World energy resources and consumption

By

ALLU. SAI SARAYU

2018007

Semester VII

Name of the Program: 5 years (B.A.,LL.B./LL.M.)

Subject

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY LAWS

Name of the Faculty Member

SOMA BATTACHARJYA, M.A, LL.M

DAMODARAM SANJIVAYYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY NYAYAPRASTHA,

SABBAVARAM, VISAKHAPATNAM - 531035 ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

Date of Submission: 29-11-2021

1
 ACKNOWLEGMENT

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my faculty SOMA BATTACHARJYA, for her constant
support and guidance without which this Research Paper would not have been successful despite
my efforts. Also my sincere thanks to Damodram Sanjivayya National Law University,
Sabbavaram for providing me with all the necessary sources and perfectly guiding me in the
preparation of my RESEARCH PAPER.

Submitted by

ALLU. SAI SARAYU

2018007

SEMESTER 7

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SYNOPSIS

INTRODUCTION

Energy is a very common word frequently used in our day-to-day life. Energy is defined as the
ability to do work. We require energy for all types of activities including the activities within our
body, with our body or with other bodies. Energy can be defined in a number of ways. In the
broad sense, energy means the capacity of something – a person, an animal, or a physical system
(machine) – to do work and produce change. Energy plays a very important role in our lives,
providing comfort, increasing productivity and allowing us to live the way we want to

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of the study is to understand the importance of energy resources, types its laws
and how energy consumptions is changing the world . we will also learn types of energy
resources, its importance . Along with this we will also leran the importance of energy
conservation.

RESEARCH QUESTION

1. WHETHER ENERY RESOUCES HAVE ANY IMPORTANCE IN LIFE?

2. WHETHER THERE ARE ANY ENERGY CRISIS?
3. WHETHER NON RENEWABLE SOURCES BE PROTECTED?
4. WHETHER ENERGY RESOURCES NEED TO BE CONSERVED?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

NATURE OF THE STUDY :The study is doctrinal type. It isstudied underthe concepts of
descriptive, analytical and explanatory forms of research.

3
INTRODUCTION

Energy is a very common word frequently used in our day-to-day life. Energy is defined as the
ability to do work. We require energy for all types of activities including the activities within our
body, with our body or with other bodies. When we say a body has energy, it means that it is
capable of doing work. Look around you will find countless examples where energy is used to do
work. An engine uses energy of its fuel to move a car along. A battery stores the energy needed
to switch on the radio or tape recorder. The heavy flow of water can break the banks of rivers as
it also has energy in it. Similarly the wind also carries enough energy to shake trees.

Energy can be defined in a number of ways. In the broad sense, energy means the capacity of
something – a person, an animal, or a physical system (machine) – to do work and produce
change. It can be used to describe someone doing energetic things such as running, talking, and
acting in a lively and vigorous way. It is used in science to do describe the part of the market
where energy itself is harnessed and sold to consumers. Today, energy is the primary input for
almost all economic activities and has become vital for improvement in the quality of life. Infact,
the whole infrastructure rests upon energy. The energy consumption of a nation now-a-days is
usually considered as an index of its development. About 24 percent of energy consumed
globally, is used for transportation, 40 percent for industries, 30 percent for domestic and
commercial purposes and the rest 6 percent for other uses including agriculture.

India is an agriculture country. Majority of its population lives in village and uses wood,
agricultural wastes, livestock dung etc. as energy source. In urban areas, in industries,
transportation, telecommunication, domestic establishment etc., the energy consumed is derived
from oil, coal, natural gas, hydroelectricity or nuclear power. The industries claim a large share
(about 38.5 percent) of the total energy followed by transportation (about 31.2 percent), domestic
establishment (about 13.7 percent) and the rest in agriculture. Share of various energy sources in
the commercial consumption of energy in India mostly comes from the coal (about 56 percent)
and petroleum (about 32 percent). The other sources are hydroelectric, nuclear power, natural gas
etc

Importance of Energy in our Life

Energy plays a very important role in our lives, providing comfort, increasing productivity and
allowing us to live the way we want to. Since the beginning of mankind, we have made use of
wood, water, and fossil fuels as a means of heating and making machines work. Almost for all
types of activities, we rely on one or another form of energy. Amount of energy used by a society
is an indicator of its economic growth and development. Without energy even our body would be
unable to perform basic functions like respiratory, circulatory, or digestive functions to name a
few. Plants would also be unable to complete the process of converting Carbon dioxide, water
and minerals into food without the light from the Sun. Almost all the machines used for the

4
production and manufacture of different types of items would be unable to operate without the
use of a source of electrical energy. Almost everything we see around us, the clothes we wear,
the food we eat, the houses we live in, the paper we write on, the vehicles we drive, all need
energy to be created or transformed from some natural resource to the final product. Nowadays,
the electrical energy has become so important that almost in all walks of life electricity is
required. For example all electrical appliances in our homes and at our workplace require

Various forms of Energy

In our daily life we use different forms of energy such as heat energy, light energy, mechanical
energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, and sound energy. The mostelectricity. All the
industries and factories run on electricity. common forms of energy are heat, light and electricity.
We use all these forms of energies for different types of work. As per requirement, one form of
energy can be converted into another form of energy by using specific types of devices or
processes. We get energy for our daily use from different sources. We will learn about details of
different forms of energy in other lessons.

Different forms of energy

The different forms of energy are:

1. Mechanical energy (kinetic and potential)

2. Thermal (or) Heat energy

3. Chemical energy

4. Electrical energy 2
5. Nuclear energy

6. Electromagnetic energy

7. Gravitational energy

1.Primary Energy Sources

Primary energy sources can be defined as sources which provide a net supply of energy Coal,
Oil, Uranium etc., are examples of this type. The energy required to obtain these fuels is much
use than what they can produce by combustion or nuclear reaction. The supply of primary fuels
is limited. It becomes very essential to use these fuels sparingly. Examples Coal, natural gas, oil
and nuclear energy. 3

2.Secondary Energy sources Secondary fuels produce no net energy. Though it may by necessary
for the economy, these may not yield net energy. Secondary sources are like sun, wind, water

5
(tides), etc. Solar energy can by used through plants, solar cells, solar heaters and solar
collectors.

3. Supplementary sources are defined as those whose net energy yield is zero and those
requiring highest investment in terms of energy Insulation (thermal) is an example for this
source.

4 Energy Consumption as a Measure of Prosperity : Energy is an important input in all sectors of

any country’s economy. The standard of living of a given country can be directly related to per
capita energy consumption. The per capita energy consumption in U.S.A. is 8000 kWh per year,
whereas the per capita energy consumption in India is 150 kWh U.S.A.with 7% of world’s
population consumes 32% of the total energy consumed in the world, whereas India, a
developing country with 20% of the world’s population consumes only 1% of the total energy
consumed in the world. Therefore one might conclude that to be materially prosperous, a human
being needs to consume more and more energy than his own. What

Constitutes an Energy Crisis ?

Energy crisis is a situation in which the nation suffers from a disruption of energy supplies (in
our case, Oil) accompanied by rapidly increasing energy prices that threaten economic and
national security. 5 With the international crude oil prices hovering around $ 125 per barrel and
the oil import bill set for a jump of over Rs. 537 billion to reach over Rs. 2727 billion this year,
India is heading for a major energy crisis. With a population of around 113 corer, we cannot
afford to follow the high-energy consumption pattern of the West that has resulted in an
indiscriminate exploitation of fossil fuels and high pollution levels. The situation will aggravate
if necessary steps are not taken in time. According to Dr. Rajendra K Pachauri, Director-General,
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) ‘The lack of any comprehensive national energy
policy,inadequate public transport system and disregard of domestic renewable energy resources
has led to the present energy crisis”

Different Sources of Energy

In simple terms we can say that anything out of which usable energy can be extracted is a source
of energy. There is a variety of sources that provide us energy for different purposes. You must
be familiar with coal, petrol, diesel kerosene and natural gas. Similarly you must have also heard
about hydroelectric power, wind mills, solar panels, biomass etc. It can be easily seen that some
of the energy sources can be replenished in a short period of time. Such energy sources are
referred to as “renewable” energy sources, whereas the energy sources that we are using up and
cannot be generated in a short period of time are called non-renewable energy sources. Thus, all
the sources of energy can be divided into two categories: renewable sources and non-renewable
sources of energy.

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Energy Resources Like other natural resources, energy resources are also renewable as well as
non-renewable.

A) Renewable Energy Resources:

Renewable energy resources are mostly biomass-based and are available in unlimited amount in
nature since these can be renewed (i.e. regenerated in natural process) over relatively short
period of time. Renewable energy sources are inexhaustible, i.e. they can be replaced after we
use them and can produce energy again and again. These include, firewood (or fuelwood)
obtained from forest, petroplants, plant biomass (as agricultural wastes like bagasse), animal
dung, solar energy, wind energy, water energy (hydro-electrical, ocean wave and tidal energy),
and geothermal energy etc. These can reproduce themselves in nature and can be harvested
continuously through a sustained proper planning and management.

B) Non-renewable (Exhaustible) Energy Resources:

Non-renewable energy resources are available in limited amount and develop over a longer
period of time. As a result of unlimited use, they are likely to be exhausted one day. These
include various fossil fuels including petroleum products, coal and natural gas and nuclear
energy. Nuclear energy is mainly obtained from the nuclear fission of the uranium and thorium.
The global resources of fossil fuel and uranium and thorium are limited and will be eventually be
depleted. Moreover, use of fossil fuels for energy has negative environmental consequences,
such as air pollution, global warming, acid rains and oil spills. Thus, it has been become essential
to minimize the use of fossil fuels and to replace them with renewable resources.

Fossil Fuels – Conventional Source of Energy Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas, are
important non-renewable sources of energy. Since the beginning of mankind, we have been
using fossil fuels to generate heat, light and electricity for various purposes. These are the
primary sources for generating electrical energy in the world today. Over 85% of our energy
demands are met by the combustion of fossil fuels. Carbon is the main constituent of these fossil
fuels. Fossil fuels are excellent sources of energy for our transportation needs. You may be
surprised to know that approximately 1.9 billion tons of coal is burnt in a year to generate
electricity in the world. A large amount of chemical energy is stored in the fossil fuels. This
stored chemical energy is converted into various other forms of energy such as heat, light and
mechanical energy. You may be interested in knowing how the fossil fuels are formed? Millions
of years ago the remains of dead plants and animals were buried under the ground. Over the
years by the action of heat from the Earth’s core and pressure from rock and soil, these buried
and decomposed organic materials have been converted into fossil fuels.

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(a) Coal Coal is formed in a way similar to the other fossil fuels, though it goes through a
different process called “coalification”. Coal is made of decomposed plant matter in conditions
of high temperature and pressure, though it takes a relatively shorter amount of time to form.
Coal is not a uniform substance either; its composition varies from deposit to deposit. Factors
that cause this deviation are the types of original plant matter, and the extent to which the plant
matter decomposed. There are different types of coal such as peat, lignite, sub-bituminous and
bituminous. The first kind of coal is peat which is merely a mass of dead and decomposing plant
matter. Peat has been used as fuel in the past, as an alternative to wood. Next, the peat becomes
lignite, a brownish rock that contains recognizable plant matter and has a relatively low calorific
value. Lignite is basically the halfway point from peat to coal. The next phase is sub-bituminous
which is a shade of dull black with very little visible plant matter. This type of coal has a less
than ideal calorific value. Bituminous coal is the best quality of coal. It. is jet black, very dense
and brittle. This type of coal has high calorific value.

Petroleum

Petroleum or mineral oil is the next major energy source in India after coal. It provides fuel for
heat and lighting, lubricants for machinery and raw materials for a number of manufacturing
industries. Petroleum refineries act as a “nodal industry” for synthetic textile, fertiliser and
numerous chemical industries. Most of the petroleum occurrences in India are associated with
anticlines and fault traps in the rock formations of the tertiary age. In regions of folding,
anticlines or domes, it occurs where oil is trapped in the crest of the upfold. The oil bearing layer
is a porous limestone or sandstone through which oil may flow. The oil is prevented from rising
or sinking by intervening non-porous layers. Petroleum is also found in fault traps between
porous and non-porous rocks. Gas, being lighter usually occurs above the oil. Mumbai High,
Gujarat and Assam are major petroleum production areas in India. From the map locate the 3
major off shore fields of western India. Ankeleshwar is the most important field of Gujarat.
Assam is the oldest oil producing state of India. Digboi, Naharkatiya and Moran-Hugrijan are the
important oil fields in the state.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is an important clean energy resource found in association with or without
petroleum. It is used as a source of energy as well as an industrial raw material in the
petrochemical industry. Natural gas is considered an environment friendly fuel because of low
carbon dioxide emissions and is, therefore, the fuel for the present century. Large reserves of
natural gas have been discovered in the Krishna-Godavari basin. Along the west coast the
reserves of the Mumbai High and allied fields are supplemented by finds in the Gulf of Cambay.
Andaman and Nicobar islands are also important areas having large reserves of natural gas. The

8
1700 km long Hazira-VijaipurJagdishpur cross country gas pipeline links Mumbai High and
Bassien with the fertilizer, power and industrial complexes in western and northern India. This
artery has provided an impetus to India’s gas production. The power and fertilizer industries are
the key users of natural gas. Use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG ) for vehicles to replace
liquid fuels is gaining wide popularity in the country.

Electricity

Electricity has such a wide range of applications in today’s world that, its percapita consumption
is considered as an index of development. Electricity is generated mainly in two ways: by
running water which drives hydro turbines to generate hydro electricity; and by burning other
fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas to drive turbines to produce thermal power. Once
generated the electricity is exactly the same.

Hydro electricity is generated by fast flowing water, which is a renewable resource India has a
number of multi-purpose projects like the Bhakra Nangal, Damodar Valley corporation, the
Kopili Hydel Project etc. producing hydroelectric power. Thermal electricity is generated by
using coal, petroleum and natural gas. The thermal power stations use non-renewable fossil fuels
for generating electricity.

Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

The growing consumption of energy has resulted in the country becoming increasingly
dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Rising prices of oil and gas and their potential
shortages have raised uncertainties about the security of energy supply in future, which in turn
has serious repercussions on the growth of the national economy. Moreover, increasing use of
fossil fuels also causes serious environmental problems. Hence, there is a pressing need to use
renewable energy sources like solar energy, wind, tide, biomass and energy from waste material.
These are called nonconventional energy sources. India is blessed with an abundance of sunlight,
water, wind and biomass. It has the largest programmes for the development of these renewable
energy resources.

Nuclear or Atomic Energy

It is obtained by altering the structure of atoms. When such an alteration is made, much energy is
released in the form of heat and this is used to generate electric power. Uranium and Thorium,
which are available in Jharkhand and the Aravalli ranges of Rajasthan are used for generating
atomic or nuclear power. The Monazite sands of Kerala is also rich in Thorium.

9
Solar Energy

India is a tropical country. It has enormous possibilities of tapping solar energy. Photovoltaic
technology converts sunlight directly into electricity. Solar energy is fast becoming popular in
rural and remote areas. Some big solar power plants are being established in different parts of
India which will minimise the dependence of rural households on firewood and dung cakes,
which in turn will contribute to environmental conservation and adequate supply of manure in
agriculture.

Wind power

India has great potential of wind power. The largest wind farm cluster is located in Tamil Nadu
from Nagarcoil to Madurai. Apart from these, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala,
Maharashtra and Lakshadweep have important wind farms. Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer are well
known for effective use of wind energy in the country.

Biogas

Shrubs, farm waste, animal and human waste are used to produce biogas for domestic
consumption in rural areas. Decomposition of organic matter yields gas, which has higher
thermal efficiency in comparison to kerosene, dung cake and charcoal. Biogas plants are set up at
municipal, cooperative and individual levels. The plants using cattle dung are known as ‘Gobar
gas plants’ in rural India. These provide twin benefits to the farmer in the form of energy and
improved quality of manure. Biogas is by far the most efficient

use of cattle dung. It improves the quality of manure and also prevents the loss of trees and
manure due to burning of fuel wood and cow dung cakes.

Tidal Energy

Oceanic tides can be used to generate electricity. Floodgate dams are built across inlets. During
high tide water flows into the inlet and gets trapped when the gate is closed. After the tide falls

10
outside the flood gate, the water retained by the floodgate flows back to the sea via a pipe that
carries it through a power-generating turbine. In India the Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of
Kuchchh in Gujarat on the western coast and Gangetic delta in Sunderban regions of West
Bengal provide ideal conditions for utilising tidal energy.

Geo Thermal Energy

Geo thermal energy refers to the heat and electricity produced by using the heat from the interior
of the Earth. Geothermal energy exists because, the Earth grows progressively hotter with
increasing depth. Where the geothermal gradient is high, high temperatures are found at shallow
depths. Groundwater in such areas absorbs heat from the rocks and becomes hot. It is so hot that
when it rises to the earth’s surface, it turns into steam. This steam is used to drive turbines and
generate electricity. There are several hundred hot springs in India, which could be used to
generate electricity. Two experimental projects have been set up in India to harness geothermal
energy. One is located in the Parvati valley near Manikarn in Himachal Pradesh and the other is
located in the Puga Valley, Ladakh.

Conservation of Energy Resources

Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. Every sector of the national economy
– agriculture, industry, transport, commercial and domestic – needs inputs of energy. The
economic development plans implemented since Independence necessarily

required increasing amounts of energy to remain operational. As a result, consumption of energy

in all forms has been steadily rising all over the country.

In this background, there is an urgent need to develop a sustainable path of energy development.
Promotion of energy conservation and increased use of renewable energy sources

are the twin planks of sustainable energy. India is presently one of the least energy efficient
countries in the world. We have to adopt a cautious approach for the judicious use of our limited
energy resources. For example, as concerned citizens we can do our bit by using public transport
systems instead of individual vehicles; switching off electricity when not in use, using power-
saving devices and using non-conventional sources of energy. After all, “energy saved is energy
produced"

Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

11
The growing consumption of energy has resulted in the country becoming increasingly
dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Rising prices of oil and gas and their potential
shortages have raised uncertainties about the security of energy supply in future, which in turn
has serious repercussions on the growth of the national economy. Moreover, increasing use of
fossil fuels also causes serious environmental problems. Hence, there is a pressing need to use
renewable energy sources like solar energy, wind, tide, biomass and energy from waste material.
These are called nonconventional energy sources. India is blessed with an abundance of sunlight,
water, wind and biomass. It has the largest programmes for the development of these renewable
energy resources.

Nuclear or Atomic Energy

It is obtained by altering the structure of atoms. When such an alteration is made, much energy is
released in the form of heat and this is used to generate electric power. Uranium and Thorium,
which are available in Jharkhand and the Aravalli ranges of Rajasthan are used for generating
atomic or nuclear power. The Monazite sands of Kerala is also rich in Thorium.

Solar Energy

India is a tropical country. It has enormous possibilities of tapping solar energy. Photovoltaic
technology converts sunlight directly into electricity. Solar energy is fast becoming popular in
rural and remote areas. Some big solar power plants are being established in different parts of
India which will minimise the dependence of rural households on firewood and dung cakes,
which in turn will contribute to environmental conservation and adequate supply of manure in
agriculture.

Wind power

India has great potential of wind power. The largest wind farm cluster is located in Tamil Nadu
from Nagarcoil to Madurai. Apart from these, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala,
Maharashtra and Lakshadweep have important wind farms. Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer are well
known for effective use of wind energy in the country.

12
Biogas

Shrubs, farm waste, animal and human waste are used to produce biogas for domestic
consumption in rural areas. Decomposition of organic matter yields gas, which has higher
thermal efficiency in comparison to kerosene, dung cake and charcoal. Biogas plants are set up at
municipal, cooperative and individual levels. The plants using cattle dung are known as ‘Gobar
gas plants’ in rural India. These provide twin benefits to the farmer in the form of energy and
improved quality of manure. Biogas is by far the most efficient

use of cattle dung. It improves the quality of manure and also prevents the loss of trees and
manure due to burning of fuel wood and cow dung cakes.

Tidal Energy

Oceanic tides can be used to generate electricity. Floodgate dams are built across inlets. During
high tide water flows into the inlet and gets trapped when the gate is closed. After the tide falls
outside the flood gate, the water retained by the floodgate flows back to the sea via a pipe that
carries it through a power-generating turbine. In India the Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of
Kuchchh in Gujarat on the western coast and Gangetic delta in Sunderban regions of West
Bengal provide ideal conditions for utilising tidal energy.

Geo Thermal Energy

Geo thermal energy refers to the heat and electricity produced by using the heat from the interior
of the Earth. Geothermal energy exists because, the Earth grows progressively hotter with
increasing depth. Where the geothermal gradient is high, high temperatures are found at shallow
depths. Groundwater in such areas absorbs heat from the rocks and becomes hot. It is so hot that
when it rises to the earth’s surface, it turns into steam. This steam is used to drive turbines and
generate electricity. There are several hundred hot springs in India, which could be used to
generate electricity. Two experimental projects have been set up in India to harness geothermal
energy. One is located in the Parvati valley near Manikarn in Himachal Pradesh and the other is
located in the Puga Valley, Ladakh.

What does energy consumption mean?

Energy consumption refers to ALL the energy used to perform an action, manufacture something
or simply inhabit a building.

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Let’s look at a few examples:

The amount of energy consumed depends on the activity or object. Home illumination is one of
the most common forms of energy consumption. To illuminate a room, a light bulb must be
powered by electricity, any use of which contributes to energy consumption. Computers and
mobile phones also contribute to daily energy consumption. The very production of a computer
causes energy to be consumed by factories, workers, distribution systems and the stores that sell
the end product.

A daily cup of coffee is a product of energy consumption. Every part of the process to create
coffee consumes energy. The beans used for the coffee must be picked, transported, cleaned and
roasted before arriving at a store to be sold. The machinery used to grind and brew the coffee
also uses electricity.

In a factory, total energy consumption can be measured by looking at how much energy a
production process consumes, for example, by making car parts. This will include water,
electricity, gas… any energy source needed for the stuffed animals to be made.

In a household, energy consumption will include electricity, gas, water, and any other energy
used to live in it.

The energy consumption of a bus includes how much diesel or gasoline it uses to run.

All this to clear up the following: energy consumption does not necessarily come from a single
energy source. It is a common misconception to think that to save energy you have to save
electricity. It could very well be a totally different energy source that has the greatest impact on a
certain process.

where do people consume the most energy?

When we look at total energy consumption, differences across countries often reflect differences
in population size: countries with lots of people inevitably consume more energy than tiny
countries.

How do countries compare when we look at energy consumption per person?

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This interactive chart shows per capita energy consumption. We see vast differences across the
world.

The largest energy consumers include Iceland, Norway, Canada, the United States, and wealthy
nations in the Middle East such as Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The average person in these
countries consumes as much as 100 times more than the average person in some of the poorest
countries.2

In fact, the true differences between the richest and poorest might be even greater. We do not
have high-quality data on energy consumption for many of the world’s poorest countries. This is
because they often use very little commercially-traded energy sources (such as coal, oil, gas, or
grid electricity) and instead rely on traditional biomass – crop residues, wood and other organic
matter that is difficult to quantify. This means we often lack good data on energy consumption
for the world’s poorest.

How is global energy consumption changing year-to-year?

Demand for energy is growing across many countries in the world, as people get richer and
populations increase.

If this increased demand is not offset by improvements in energy efficiency elsewhere, then our
global energy consumption will continue to grow year-on-year. Growing energy consumption
makes the challenge of transitioning our energy systems away from fossil fuels towards low-
carbon sources of energy more difficult: new low-carbon energy has to meet this additional
demand and try to displace existing fossil fuels in the energy mix.

We see that global energy consumption has increased nearly every year for more than half a
century. The exceptions to this are in the early 1980s, and 2009 following the financial crisis.

Global energy consumption continues to grow, but it does seem to be slowing – averaging
around 1% to 2% per year.

Total energy consumption

This interactive chart shows primary energy consumption country-by-country. It is the sum of
total energy consumption, including electricity, transport and heating. We look at electricity
consumption individually later in this article.

15
Note, again, that this is based on primary energy via the ‘substitution method’: this means
nuclear and renewable energy technologies have been converted into their ‘primary input
equivalents’ if they had the same levels of inefficiency as fossil fuel conversion.

To maintain consistency with all of the other energy data we present, we have converted primary
energy into terawatt-hours (rather than million tonnes of oil equivalents, or alternative energy
units).

Where is energy consumption growing or falling?

Globally, primary energy consumption has increased nearly every year for at least half a century.
But this is not the case everywhere in the world.

Energy consumption is rising in many countries where incomes are rising quickly and the
population is growing. But in many countries – particularly richer countries trying to improve
energy efficiency – energy consumption is actually falling.

How much energy does the world consume?

The energy system has transformed dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. We see this
transformation of the global energy supply in the interactive chart shown here. It graphs global
energy consumption from 1800 onwards.

It is based on historical estimates of primary energy consumption from Vaclav Smil, combined
with updated figures from BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy.

Global energy consumption fell in 2020 (-4%), due to lockdown measures and transport
restrictions

Global energy consumption growth declined by 4% in 2020, in a context of global pandemic,

contrasting with an average 2%/year over the 2000-2018 period and a 0.8% slowdown in 2019.
Energy consumption fell in most countries, except in China, the largest energy consumer (24%
of the global energy consumption in 2020) which rapidly recovered from the COVID-19 crisis.
China’s energy consumption rose by 2.2%, a much slower pace than in previous years (+4%/year
over the 2008-2018 period and +3.4% in 2019). Lockdown measures and reduced economic
activity had a severe impact on energy consumption in 2020. It decreased significantly (-7.6%) in
the United States, by around 7% in the EU (strong drops in the largest markets such as Spain,
France, Italy, and Germany), Japan, and Canada, and by 4.8% in Russia. The decline was slighter
(around -3%) in India, South Korea, or Saudi Arabia, and even lower (around -2%) in Australia
and Brazil. Energy consumption also contracted in Africa and in the Middle East (especially in
Saudi Arabia).

16
Conservation of Energy Resources

Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. Every sector of the national economy
– agriculture, industry, transport, commercial and domestic – needs inputs of energy. The
economic development plans implemented since Independence necessarily

required increasing amounts of energy to remain operational. As a result, consumption of energy

in all forms has been steadily rising all over the country.

Importance of energy Conservation

Energy conservation is an idea and practice that focuses on saving our natural
resources, especially those resources which are available in a limited amount. Non-
renewable sources of energy are those that are consumed at a rate faster than that at
which they are replenished. These resources are widely used in the production of
electricity by many electric power plants and in automobiles. Their availability is
limited because they take millions of years to form. If we do not conserve energy
and their resources, then soon they will get depleted. Therefore, it is advisable to
use alternative sources of energy to save non-renewable energy sources and reduce
the consumption of energy if possible. The following are the importance of energy
conservation:
1. Energy conservation is necessary because it reduces the cost of consumption of
energy. For example, when we reduce the use of electricity when not in use, then
the cost per unit of energy also reduces. By using less electricity at home and using
more energy-efficient appliances, we can reduce our electricity bills.
2. Energy conservation helps in reducing the use of natural resources of energy like
fossil fuels. For example, more amount of coal and petroleum is used to heat water
and generate electricity in thermal power plants. If we save electrical energy, we
save our natural resources, which are consumed in producing electrical energy.
3. Energy conservation reduces the waste which is released into the environment. It
reduces unwanted carbon emissions into the atmosphere. For example, the burning
of fossil fuels produces energy, and in this process, a lot of harmful gases are
emitted into the air. It causes air pollution. Burning less amount of fuel reduces the
unwanted contamination of the air.
4. Energy conservation helps in improving the quality of life. It also helps in
reducing global warming and other pollutants.
December 14 is celebrated as energy conservation day. It focuses on making people
aware of the importance of energy conservation.
Energy conservation act, 2021 promotes the efficient use of energy and its

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conservation. It plans to reduce the production of energy in order to decrease
greenhouse emissions.
What are the Methods of Energy Conservation?
The primary method to conserve energy is to use clean and alternative sources of
energy like wind energy, solar energy, tidal energy, and biomass energy. We can
reduce the use of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas by switching to
these energy sources. These energy sources are abundant in nature can be harnessed
at any time in any amount. Moreover, they are cheaper than fossil fuels. Some other
methods to conserve energy are as follows:
1. We should use CFL bulbs and LEDs instead of regular incandescent bulbs. Using
CFLs will reduce the cost per unit of energy consumed. On the other hand, LEDs
consume less energy (about 80%80% less energy than a regular incandescent bulb).
2. We should buy star-rated electrical appliances. An electrical device with a higher
number of stars will consume less energy and reduces the cost per unit of energy.
3. We should use sunlight in our homes, schools, and workplaces during the
daytime. This will reduce our electricity bills.
4. We should switch off fans, lights, and other electronic devices when not in use or
before going out of the room.
5. We should reduce the use of vehicles for going to places that are within walking
distance, and we can increase the use of bicycles. This will reduce the unnecessary
consumption of fuel like petroleum and CNG. It also helps in reducing air pollution.
6. We must keep the windows and doors of our rooms open to ventilate them with
natural air instead of using exhaust fans.
7. We must use devices that work with the thermostat. It will automatically turn off
devices when the desired temperature level is achieved. For example, it is used in
geysers. This will reduce electricity consumption by devices when not required.

Conclusion

In this background, there is an urgent need to develop a sustainable path of energy development.
Promotion of energy conservation and increased use of renewable energy source are the twin
planks of sustainable energy. India is presently one of the least energy efficient countries in the
world. We have to adopt a cautious approach for the judicious use of our limited energy
resources. For example, as concerned citizens we can do our bit by using public transport
systems instead of individual vehicles; switching off electricity when not in use, using power-
saving devices and using non-conventional sources of energy. After all, “energy saved is energy
produced"

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Developing renewable energy can help India increase its energy security, reduce adverse impacts
on the local environment, lower its carbon intensity, contribute to a more balanced regional
development, and realize its aspirations for leadership in high-technology industries. According
to a report, India is the third most favoured destination globally, for investments in the renewable
energy sector. The report also says that the country will be a major source of new entrants into
the sector, after the US and China. The Indian renewable energy market has become increasingly
dynamic in recent years as a result of strong natural resources, greater accommodation to
international investments and a variety of government incentives. Solar and wind energy will be
the major areas to witness overseas investments and acquisitions in the near future. With all the
attractive characteristics and potential stated above, India presents a significant market
opportunity for renewable energy firms worldwide. However, these firms will need external
guidance and assistance on several strategic and operational aspects before they are in a position
to effectively tap into this opportunity.

BIBILOGRAPHY

The potential of India’s Renewable energy 2012 report by Gyan Research and Analytics Pvt.
Ltd.

 Energy Resources and India’s Security 2009 Report by Teri , The Energy and Resource
Institute.

 Overview of Renewable Energy Potential of India, 2006, Global Energy Network Institute

 (GENI). www.geni.org India Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES)

http://mnes.nic.in/

 The President of India www.presidentofindia.nic.in

 The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI) http://www.teriin.org/ Trade Team Canada
Environment (TTC Environment)

 http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inenva.nsf/en/h_eg02268e.html U.S. Energy Information

Administration (EIA), http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_energy_stat.htm

 Global Energy Network Institute (GENI) www.geni.org

 Centre for Wind Energy Technology www.cwet.tn.nic.in http://www.eai.in

Energy Conservation – Concept, Importance, and Methods to Conserve Energy, Written by

S H I K H A P A N D E Y ,11-06-2021 

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