The basic aim of energy security for a nation is to provide sufficient energy for all while reducing its dependence on the imported energy sources for its economic growth.
Energy security rests on two principles:
• To secure access to all sources of energy including coal, oil and gas supplies within the country and worldwide, till the end of the fossil fuel era,which is fast approaching. Simultaneously we should access technologies to provide a diverse supply of reliable, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy.
• To use the least amount of energy to provide services and cut down energy losses.
We need to be energy secure in terms of energy resource, i.e., where it comes from, control of the flow and distribution of the resource, and should have alternatives in place to allow us to withstand the highs and lows associated with any commodity. As far as the energy security of India is concerned, you should know that our country has just 0.8% of the world's known oil and natural gas resources. Since 1985, our country has been a net importer of coal. It has been unable to raise oil production substantially in the past few decades. Rising oil demand of close to 10% per year has led to sizeable oil import bills. The dependence of energy imports is projected to increase in the future. This energy import dependence implies vulnerability to external price shocks and supply fluctuations, which threaten the energy security of the country.
Increasing dependence on oil imports means reliance on imports from the Middle-East, a region susceptible to disturbances and consequent disruptions of oil supplies. This calls for diversification of sources of oil imports. The need to deal with oil price fluctuations also necessitates measures to be taken toreduce the oil dependence of the economy, possibly through fiscal measures to reduce demand, and by developing alternatives to oil, such as natural gas and renewable energy.
India will continue to experience an energy supply shortfall in the foreseeable future unless adequate measures are taken forthwith. Energy security can only be ensured by a shift in the structure of energy sources. We would need to minimize fossil fuel imports and assure secure access to energy resources.Some of the strategies that can be used to meet the future challenges related to our energy security are:
•building stockpiles;
•diversification of energy fuel sources;
•increased capacity of fuel switching;
•demand restraint;
•development of renewable energy sources;
•improving energy efficiency; and
•sustainable development.
Although all these options are feasible, their implementation will take time.Also, for countries like India, reliance on stockpiles would tend to be slow because of resource constraints. Besides, the market is not sophisticated enough or the monitoring agencies experienced enough to predict the supply situation in time to take necessary action. Insufficient storage capacity is another cause for worry and needs to be augmented, if India has to increase its energy stockpile.
We should tap the hydro and nuclear power potential to the maximum.Further, targets for power generated through renewable energy technologies may be raised to 20 or 25% against the present 5%. Distributed Generation (DG) Technology is the latest concept for meeting local requirement with local resources at the remotest location with clean form of energy. Micro-hydro, biomass, solar energy, are some of the resources used for DG.These measures would also lead to sustainable energy use in future. As we near the end of this unit, you may like to know: What are the future energy options available to us for ensuring energy security and sustainable use of energy? We have two main options for the delivery of sustainable energy to the consumer:
♦ The favoured and more convenient option is to maintain the chemical energy base. This would mean replacing fossil fuels by synthetic hydrogen and continuing the energy business as usual. In this scenario, oil companies would become hydrogen suppliers, roadside fuelling stations would pump hydrogen instead of gasoline, and cars would be powered by hydrogen and fuel cells. This option, termed “hydrogen economy”, can certainly be realized. The necessary technology is available or can be developed in time.
♦ The second option is a controlled transition from the chemical energy base to an electrical energy base. Renewable energy can be brought to the people in the form of electricity. The necessary technology is also available or can be developed rapidly. This option, termed an “electron economy”,can certainly be realized.
Both these options deliver renewable electricity to the people, but through different energy carriers and require additional research and development.New storage technologies are needed for hydrogen as well as for electrons.But a hydrogen infrastructure must be built from scratch. In simple terms, a “hydrogen economy” has to compete with an “electron economy”. The option with the lower energy losses between energy source and energy services would be preferred. This situation is illustrated in Fig. The competition between hydrogen and electricity will be determined by the respective overall energy efficiency between renewable source and end-use.
Energy security rests on two principles:
• To secure access to all sources of energy including coal, oil and gas supplies within the country and worldwide, till the end of the fossil fuel era,which is fast approaching. Simultaneously we should access technologies to provide a diverse supply of reliable, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy.
• To use the least amount of energy to provide services and cut down energy losses.
We need to be energy secure in terms of energy resource, i.e., where it comes from, control of the flow and distribution of the resource, and should have alternatives in place to allow us to withstand the highs and lows associated with any commodity. As far as the energy security of India is concerned, you should know that our country has just 0.8% of the world's known oil and natural gas resources. Since 1985, our country has been a net importer of coal. It has been unable to raise oil production substantially in the past few decades. Rising oil demand of close to 10% per year has led to sizeable oil import bills. The dependence of energy imports is projected to increase in the future. This energy import dependence implies vulnerability to external price shocks and supply fluctuations, which threaten the energy security of the country.
Increasing dependence on oil imports means reliance on imports from the Middle-East, a region susceptible to disturbances and consequent disruptions of oil supplies. This calls for diversification of sources of oil imports. The need to deal with oil price fluctuations also necessitates measures to be taken toreduce the oil dependence of the economy, possibly through fiscal measures to reduce demand, and by developing alternatives to oil, such as natural gas and renewable energy.
India will continue to experience an energy supply shortfall in the foreseeable future unless adequate measures are taken forthwith. Energy security can only be ensured by a shift in the structure of energy sources. We would need to minimize fossil fuel imports and assure secure access to energy resources.Some of the strategies that can be used to meet the future challenges related to our energy security are:
•building stockpiles;
•diversification of energy fuel sources;
•increased capacity of fuel switching;
•demand restraint;
•development of renewable energy sources;
•improving energy efficiency; and
•sustainable development.
Although all these options are feasible, their implementation will take time.Also, for countries like India, reliance on stockpiles would tend to be slow because of resource constraints. Besides, the market is not sophisticated enough or the monitoring agencies experienced enough to predict the supply situation in time to take necessary action. Insufficient storage capacity is another cause for worry and needs to be augmented, if India has to increase its energy stockpile.
We should tap the hydro and nuclear power potential to the maximum.Further, targets for power generated through renewable energy technologies may be raised to 20 or 25% against the present 5%. Distributed Generation (DG) Technology is the latest concept for meeting local requirement with local resources at the remotest location with clean form of energy. Micro-hydro, biomass, solar energy, are some of the resources used for DG.These measures would also lead to sustainable energy use in future. As we near the end of this unit, you may like to know: What are the future energy options available to us for ensuring energy security and sustainable use of energy? We have two main options for the delivery of sustainable energy to the consumer:
♦ The favoured and more convenient option is to maintain the chemical energy base. This would mean replacing fossil fuels by synthetic hydrogen and continuing the energy business as usual. In this scenario, oil companies would become hydrogen suppliers, roadside fuelling stations would pump hydrogen instead of gasoline, and cars would be powered by hydrogen and fuel cells. This option, termed “hydrogen economy”, can certainly be realized. The necessary technology is available or can be developed in time.
♦ The second option is a controlled transition from the chemical energy base to an electrical energy base. Renewable energy can be brought to the people in the form of electricity. The necessary technology is also available or can be developed rapidly. This option, termed an “electron economy”,can certainly be realized.
Both these options deliver renewable electricity to the people, but through different energy carriers and require additional research and development.New storage technologies are needed for hydrogen as well as for electrons.But a hydrogen infrastructure must be built from scratch. In simple terms, a “hydrogen economy” has to compete with an “electron economy”. The option with the lower energy losses between energy source and energy services would be preferred. This situation is illustrated in Fig. The competition between hydrogen and electricity will be determined by the respective overall energy efficiency between renewable source and end-use.
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| Energy Distribution Options in a Sustainable Energy Future |
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| What can You do for Energy Conservation? |
In the light of the discussion so far, we can outline an energy strategy for the future with immediate, medium-term and long-term goals
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