Power Plant Engineering

2.10 ENERGY DEMAND
Humanity today is on the verge of another catastrophe, i.e., the energy crisis. Increasing indus-
trialisation and unsuitable consumption patterns are escalating the environmental problems due to de-
pletion of resources and energy. The unsustainable use of renewable resources and generation of toxic
materials are creating problems to biodiversity, environment and human health. Energy is a primary
input in any industrial operation. Energy is also a major input in sectors such as commerce, transport,
telecommunication etc. besides the wide range of services required in the household and industrial
sectors. Energy use is not an end in itself. Energy plays a dual role. It is an input into the productive
sectors of the economy, i.e., industry and agriculture as well as supporting infrastructure of transport. It
is also a consumer good, i.e., energy consumed in households has a direct impact on the quality of life.
In India, per capita consumption is one-fourth of the world average and one-twenty fifth that of USA.
Traditional fuels like animal dung, fuel wood and modern fuels are steadily replacing crop residue
account to 30% of the total energy consumption in our country but these. The development of energy
source is highly capital intensive and large investments are needed for meeting the demands of energy
for different consuming sectors. It would be really ironic if fuel becomes more expensive than food.
Gulf war and Iran-Iraq war had also brought into sharper focus the energy predicament.
Energy demand is not an exception to the economic theory of limited means and unlimited
wants. The pace of exploitation of the energy resources has been growing over time, and has resulted in
gradual depletion of the scarce reserves. The critical link between energy and economy has exposed the
vulnerability of nations to the volatile energy situation. Energy today has become a key factor in decid-
ing the product cost at micro level as well as indicating the inflation and the debt burden at the macro
level. Energy cost is a significant factor in economic activity, at par with factors of production like
capital, land and labour. The imperatives of an energy shortage situation calls for energy conservation
measure, which essentially mean using less energy for the same level of activity. While on one hand the
demand for energy is increasing, on the other hand the energy resources are becoming scarce and
costlier. This steady increase in gap has not only compelled technocrats and decision makers in the
industry to develop new measures of energy conservation but also to have systematic approach towards
present trend of energy consumption through energy auditing and application of modern techniques
and methods for minimizing energy wastage. Energy conservation is considered as a quick and eco-
nomical way to solve the problem of power shortage as also a means of conserving the country’s finite
sources of energy. Energy conservation measures are cost effective, require relatively small invest-
ments and have short gestation as well as pay back periods. The studies conducted by Energy Manage-
ment Centre, New Delhi have indicated that there is about 25 % potential of energy conservation W the
industrial sector.
Energy technologies deal with various primary energies, processing, useful energies and associ-
ated plants and processes. The coverage including exploration, transportation, conversion, utilization.
Energy Technology is concerned with ‘demand’ for various forms of secondary energy (usable energy)
and the methods of ‘supply’. Various factors affecting the ‘demand’ and ‘supply’ are in the scope of
energy-technology. Energy is the key input for domestic demand, industrial and economic develop-
ment. It is also a pre-requisite for sustaining industrial growth. With industrialization and urbanization,
the demand of energy has continuously grown. In the past few decades, its need has multiplied many
times. Presently, the demand of energy arises in a very large number of applications. Main amongst
them is listed below.
• In power plants. to run the turbine. The rotation of turbine is then used to rotate the alterna-
tor to generate electricity.

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NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY RESOURCES AND UTILISATION
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• In transportation sector. to propel automobiles, trains ships, submarines, helicopters,
aircrafts etc.
• ln military lists. to propel missiles, tanks, weapons etc.
• ln industrial sectors. for manufacturing steel, aluminium and other metals; in producing
cement, plastics, chemicals, fertilizers; in oil refineries etc.
• For domestic purposes. in refrigerators, air-conditioners, fans lighting, television, music
systems, washing machine etc.
The world energy consumption in the past four decades (between 1960 and 2000) has gone-up
by more than three times, and is still growing rapidly. The energy consumption of some countries (in
1998) is given below as reference
• India 13.3 × 10
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• Japan 22.6 × 10
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• Russia 27.5 × 10
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• China 36 × 10
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• USA 100.5 × 10
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World 215.5 × 10
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