Energy Efficiency
Introductory Summary
There are various sources of energy available for use. However, energy is a limited and scarce resource that is not abundant in all places. There is an ever rising need for more energy, but the energy supply and resources are limited. As a result, people have to devise means that can enable them survive with little energy that is available. The proper and sustainable use of energy is known as energy efficiency. Efficiency is attained through the adoption of various technological methods of energy conservation. Efficiency in energy use contributes to economic growth while at the same time contributing to environmental preservation. It also enhances competition and profitability.
Efficient use of energy is aimed at reducing the amount of energy necessary in the production of good s and services. Research in all industries is driven towards improving production from industrial processes. These improvements occur in various ways and with different benefits. These improvements may lower capital costs, increase yields, reduce operational costs and reduce energy and resource use. This also brings a number of enhancements including increased yield, safe working conditions and lower maintenance costs-just to mention but a few.
Today’s world is very competitive, and single effort that can put a competitor a head of another is very essential. Energy conservation and efficient use my make a big difference in production costs as well as in the pricing of commodities and services. The difference in prices is what determines whether a business will be successful or not. Reducing energy consumption also increases productivity. There is a clear relationship between energy consumption and productivity (UNIDO, 2009). Energy conservation improves many sectors of any business organization. Firstly, energy conservation improves the capacity of any business organization to compete against fellow competitors. The ability to produce cheaply those results from energy conservation offers a company a competitive advantage over other fellow producers that may be operating on high production costs.
Secondly, energy conservation helps in the saving of the environment; for example the use of fossil fuel and its extraction are a both environmental degrading activities (UNIDO, 2009). Therefore, any action taken towards their reduction is indeed a step towards environmental protection and conservation. Additionally, energy efficiency leads to the conservation of energy, because energy is saved for later use. Efficient use of energy also contributes to the reduction of waste within the environment. The use of most forms of energy produces some kind of waste into the environment. Therefore, any reduction in the use of energy through efficiency contributes towards waste reduction within the environment. Examples of energy conservation may include insulation of heating systems in order to prevent heat loss and lead to the use of less cooling and heating energy.
Reducing energy use results in financial saving and off sets additional costs incurred in the implementation of energy efficient technology. The reduction of energy use is important in solving the problem of industrial greenhouse gas emissions. In some nations energy efficiency reduces dependency on international sources, and as a result; it offers security to home industries (UNIDO, 2009). This offers a sense of national security as well as economic security, through the reduction of imports of energy as well as the reduction of dependency.
References
UNIDO, (2009). UNIDO and Energy Efficiency: A low carbon path for industry. Retrieved from www.unido.org/fileadmin/…/UNIDO_and_energy_efficiency.pdf on 13th, September, 2010.
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