Electricity consumption

Electricity consumption

Introduction:

India, the largest democracy with an estimated population of about 1.04 billion, is on a road to rapid growth in economy. During the period 1981-2000, it has witnessed an impressive GDP growth rate of around 6%/yr . Policy initiatives of the Government of India during the past decade have resulted in a faster growth of GDP and forecasts by several agencies point towards continued growth of Indian economy. Dominic Wilson and Roopa Purushothaman of Goldman Sachs in their paper write, “India has the potential to show the fastest growth over the next 30 to 50 years. Growth could be higher than over the next 30 years and close to 5% as late as 2050 if development proceeds successfully.” To ensure that the development proceeds successfully, Government of India has been very proactive and several steps have been taken in the recent past. These include policy initiatives as well as planning and launching of projects aimed at improving energy, transport and communication infrastructure in the country. The Electricity Act – 2003, notified in June 2003, is one such important initiative. All these are the steps towards achieving an average annual growth of 8% in GDP during the ongoing 10th five year plan (April 2002 to March 2007).

Definition

Consumption of electricity" is a non-scientific expression often used to describe the conversion of electrical energy to mechanical work, heat or light. 

The Joule is the unit of measurement used to quantify any type of energy. One Newton-meter of mechanical work is one Joule. One foot-pound of work is 1.36 Joules. One calorie of heat is 4.18 joules. One BTU (British thermal unit) of heat is 1054 Joules. 

If energy is converted or transferred at a rate of one Joule per second, the rate of energy conversion is 1 watt. The speed of energy transfer or the speed of performing work is power. If power is converted at a rate of 1 watt for 1 second, 1 watt-second or 1 Joule of energy is transferred. If energy is transferred at a rate of 1000 watts for 1 hour, 1 kilowatt-hour of energy is transferred. When it comes time to pay the electric bill, the cost of electricity consumption is the cost of the kilowatt hours of energy transferred to the user and converted to mechanical work, heat or light.

Why should we save energy?
1. Save money: Typical mid-income households spend R 150 to R 200 per month on electricity -- 500 to 800 kilowatt-hours (kWh). Most households could save 20 - 30 % of this easily.
2. Reduce 'Greenhouse Gas' emissions: In South Africa electricity is generated from the coal-burning industries in Gauteng, which produces carbon dioxide (CO2) when burnt. This is contributing to Global Warming, which is potentially catastrophic. Fuel combustion in cars is also responsible for substantial CO2 emissions.
3. Reduce air pollution caused by burning coal to generate electricity, and from car fumes.
4. Save water: Power stations use 2 litres of water for every unit of electricity (kWh) generated.

METHODOLOGY

The data on energy production are collected from all enterprises producing primary or converted energy.

The data on energy and fuel consumption are collected by sample survey. The population of survey consists of economically active enterprises. Enterprises with more than 49 employees are enumerated completely. The rest of enterprises are sampled.

Data on the households’ consumption of energy and fuels have been collected from energy sale enterprises and adjusted on the basis of the energy consumption-related data received from the Household Budget Survey. The consumption of fuels on farms has been calculated based on the sown area of different kinds of crops.

Fuels are grouped as follows: coal and coke, oil shale, peat and firewood, fuel oils, motor fuels, gas and electricity. Up to the year 1992, fuels were recalculated into terajoules according to coal equivalent (1 tce = 29.31 GJ); since 1993, the actual calorific value is used.

The data on the imports and exports of fuels and energy are based on the customs statistics, which have been complemented with the data submitted by enterprises.

Until 1991 the data for imports/exports were received directly from enterprises. In 1992–2004 the data received only from the Estonian Tax and Customs Board were used. When Estonia was acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004, the Intrastat survey was applied while collecting the data on imports/exports of the EU Member States. Data of the third countries are received, as before, from the Tax and Customs Board.

Analysis

Demand Side Management (DSM) is "the implementation of policies and measures which serve to control and generally reduce electricity demand," with the aim "to improve final electricity-using systems; reduce consumption, while preserving the same level of service and comfort." As such, DSM is recognized as a major tool in the fight against climate change.

Usually a task for utilities, DSM practices should also be integrated by commercial and residential end-users, according to the authors. Indeed, final users actually account for the biggest share in electricity consumption – a share that is steadily increasing (by 50% since 1990 in France, to quote ADEME figures).

Energy savings simply in the power of observation

Starting in 1924, a series of experiments on illumination and other workplace changes began in the Western Electric Co.'s mammoth Hawthorne plant outside of Chicago. By making small changes in factory lighting and on the assembly line and then observing the workers, researchers saw productivity increase. 

Only later did researchers realize that the act of observing the workers triggered those behavior changes – an experimental flaw now known as the "Hawthorne effect" and that remains a fundamental concern in any study assessing programs designed to alter human behavior.

The Hawthorne effect can be a decisive factor in any study trying to assess energy awareness and electricity consumption, scientists at Carnegie Mellon University reported on Monday.

Conclusion

To conclude, the best ways to reduce energy consumption is right under our noses. Remember, before you begin any changes around your home, take the time to evaluate the current situation. Walk around with a pad of paper and document changes that you feel need to be made. Then, investigate those changes on top of the suggestions given for change in this article.

An additional tip to remember is that after making energy changes, there may be no significant improvement on your energy bill right away. The point of changing energy habits now is to improve your energy efficiency over time. A small investment now will definitely add up to savings later.

If you are having trouble making these changes, seek help from your electric company, or by going to a hardware or home improvement store and asking for some opinions. There are a lot of consumer resources available that people don't know about and it never hurts to ask. Good luck with your future energy saving endeavors.

Aims and objectives

·         Provide the theoretical model that clearly defines the energy profiles and energy consumption patterns of all relevant stakeholders, as well as their interrelations, in order to support energy efficiency.

·         Promote and validate methodologies that will provide increased market power to low level consumers, through consumer coalitions (Consumer Social Networks – CSNs).

·         Develop a modular, extendable and interoperable software platform that will implement the CASSANDRA theoretical paradigm to model, simulate and benchmark scenarios and operations, and act as a decision making tool for energy performance, considering consumer behavior.

·         Specify Key Performance Indicators that will assess the platform in terms of energy performance and CO2 emissions reduction of each entity with interrelation with the others.

·         Design and conduct three pilot cases in order to test and evaluate both the theoretical model and the software platform.

·         Promote the proposed consumer behavior and load modeling approach, and disseminate the energy and environmental benefit/impact to all actors.