Energy planning in developing countries

The sharp increases in international oil prices during the past decade have had a major impact on growth prospects and balance of payments in developing countries. This has led to an increasing awareness that energy is a crucial factor in the development process. This paper describes the planning context in developing countries and summarizes their needs. Within an overall analytical framework for analysis and planning, a number of specific approaches and examples are given in the areas of energy demand and supply planning. One of the major conclusions is that the energy planning process can be effective only as an integral part of development planning.     

Energy futures for oil-importing developing countries

A number of energy proposals for oil-importing developing countries (OIDCs) are presented in outline, pointing out strengths and weaknesses. Taking the analysis of the proposals further, the paper then discusses the broader political and economic factors that shape the nature of demand. In essence, it shows that energy proposals formulated on the basis of short-term economic considerations while ignoring how demand is moulded by political and economic structures, unnecessarily narrow the energy options. In conclusion, some criteria for an equitable energy policy are presented.     

Energy use and conservation in the residential sector Methodological questions and policy prescriptions

Whatever future energy path is chosen in the USA, it will be critical to know energy supply and demand patterns at the micro (family) level. This article examines public surveys which gather information at this level and then suggests possibilities for further research.     

Energy policy issues in developing countries Lessons from ASEAN''s experience

This paper reviews the energy policy responses of the five countries originally composing the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand — following the first price shocks of 1973–1974. It analyses the implications of the demand and supply management policies adopted, especially those related to pricing and diversification. It calls attention to the implications of these policies for structural changes in industries, including the shift away from energy-intensive to labour-intensive technologies; the role that technological change and technology transfer can play; the role of the transport sector in conservation, and the scope for oil-to-coal switching. It raises policy and research questions on the allocative efficiency of demand and supply management policies.     

Energy pricing policies in developing countries

Government energy pricing policies have multiple and often conflicting objectives: economic efficiency, government revenues (for both parastatal supply companies and the treasury), maintenance or improvement of income distribution, promotion of particular sectors (such as industrial exporters and local resource development) demand management and security of supply. It is important to examine the impacts on and the trade-offs between these objectives resulting from alternative policies in order to assist in policy selection. This article discusses the more important objectives and their conflicts and outlines an approach for the quantitative examination of alternative policies.     

Energy conservation in traffic

This paper discusses the energy that is being wasted in the transport section in Amman due to three main factors: namely, the time delay at the major traffic light intersections, the warming up periods of vehicles, and the drag force acting on heavy vehicles. It was found that the fuel which is being used due to the first and second factors contribute 2.2 and 3.0% to the total annual fuel cost in Jordan. Finally, recommendations and suggestions are given to cut down the fuel consumption in Amman due to the above mentioned factors.     

Energy problems and policies in developing countries

This paper evaluates trends in energy consumption and supply, national responses in restructuring the energy sector emanating from the global oil price increases of 1973–74 and 1979–80, as well as efforts to restructure the economic systems in developing nations. The analysis reveals diverse trends and effects of measures taken but concludes by pointing to the capital constraints and intensification of energy consumption due to various aspects of economic development compounding the energy problems faced by these countries. The implications of past trends and efforts are summarized to conclude that unless efforts are mounted worlwide to mitigate the problems of these nations, the global community could be affected by a growing and widespread crisis.     

Energy conservation policies in Jordan

Jordan imports almost all the energy required for its social and economic development. During the period 1974–1984, energy consumption grew at an average rate of about 14%/year, due mainly to growth in the national economy; but exacerbated by inefficient use of energy. To alleviate the burden of the energy bill on the economy, the Ministry of Energy has adopted a policy aimed at securing sufficient energy supplies at minimum cost to the economy. This policy has focused on improving the efficiency of energy-use and encouraging energy conservation in order to reduce the effect of oil imports on foreign reserves, reduce the impact of emissions of toxic gases on the environment, and the cost of additional investment in production facilities. The energy conservation programme was put into application in early 1985. The energy income elasticity during the period 1985–1988 has dropped from (1.4) to (1), which indicates a substantial improvement in overall energy utilization.     

Energy conservation programmes A review of state initiatives in the USA

In the USA states have initiated four types of non-utility programmes to promote energy conservation and renewable energy: tax incentives, grant and loan programmes, regulations and standards, and research and development programmes. Based on a survey, there is a wide variation among the states in the extent to which these programmes have been initiated and implemented. The states have conducted few evaluation studies assessing the effectiveness of their programmes. There appear to be two factors influencing a state's involvement in these programmes: the dependence of the state on outside energy sources and the political nature of the state.     

Energy conservation : An elasticity of substitution approach

Long-term forecasts of demand, used in energy planning, are based on assumptions alleged to be reasonable at the time of projections. The political debate can then focus on whether these assumptions are indeed reasonable. Common considers two sets of projections, and estimates the implicit price and income elasticities, thereby translating assumptions entailed in two different reports into concepts which are directly comparable. It is argued here that this approach need be taken a step further and elasticities of substitution between energy and other inputs should be calculated. Possibilities of energy conservation could then be taken into account.     

Energy conservation investments: A comparison between China and the US

Growth in energy consumption in China has soared from 2001 to 2004, driven largely by a booming economy and heavy investment in infrastructure and housing. In response, China has poured billions of dollars of investment in building power plants—at a rate of one large power plant (1000 MW) per week. In fact, China in 2004 has added the entire generating capacity of California or Spain in a single year. In contrast, investment in energy conservation projects has weakened considerably in recent years. This paper examines trends in energy efficiency investments in China and the US. The comparison highlights the potential of energy conservation investments in addressing China's current energy crisis as well as the inadequacy of such investments in China. Finally, the paper outlines a few scenarios for appropriate levels of investments in energy efficiency in China in the future.     

Energy conservation potential in Taiwanese textile industry

Since Taiwan lacks sufficient self-produced energy, increasing energy efficiency and energy savings are essential aspects of Taiwan’s energy policy. This work summarizes the energy savings implemented by 303 firms in Taiwan’s textile industry from the on-line Energy Declaration System in 2008. It was found that the total implemented energy savings amounted to 46,074 ton of oil equivalent (TOE). The energy saving was equivalent to 94,614 MWh of electricity, 23,686 kl of fuel oil and 4887 ton of fuel coal. It represented a potential reduction of 143,669 ton in carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide absorption capacity of a 3848 ha plantation forest. This study summarizes energy-saving measures for energy users and identifies the areas for making energy saving to provide an energy efficiency baseline.     

Barriers to energy conservation — the case of the Netherlands social housing sector

Energy conservation policy, more than energy supply policy, poses severe problems to both policy instruments and administrative organization. Barriers to effective policy derive from inadequate control structures and rationality types, as well as from social psychological factors. This case study on the Dutch housing sector considers policy organization, regulation and finance. Main barriers to effective conservation policy were found in three areas: the centralization and prevailing decomposition of control tasks, acting as a source of ineffectivity; the predominantly substantial rationality underlying regulation; and finally, the way people involved in the building industry make their interpretations of regulations and regulatory organizations.     

Energy conservation in subway systems by controlled acceleration and deceleration

The 1975 electric bill for propulsion in the New York City subway system was close to 90 million dollars. This paper addresses the question of how a subway motorman should run his train in order to minimize this energy consumption. It is shown that using maximum acceleration followed at the appropriate time by coasting, and then braking at the maximum acceptable rate, gives a particularly low energy consumption for typical subway trains (although slightly different velocity profiles can be better under appropriate circumstances). This velocity profile is relatively easy to implement, and has now been proved effective in experimental tests. As a result of recommendations reported here, the New York City Transit Authority ran idealized tests of the profile, followed by recently completed tests in revenue service which demonstrated an 18.4 per cent decrease in energy consumption using a daily weighted increase of 4.25 per cent in trip time. This paper also evaluates the energy saved using an alternative method involving equipment modification for field shunting in the series mode.     

Energy conservation through recycling

A critical review of the literature is used to suggest best estimates of the energy savings due to recycling one tonne of a number of materials. the use of these estimates is demonstrated by a number of illustrative applications. Substantial energy savings may be made by recycling most metals or paper. the savings from reclaiming glass cullet are marginal, although there is considerable potential for energy conservation through the substitution of returnable for non-returnable bottles. the recycling of materials already saves some 5 per cent of the U.K. total energy requirement, and this contribution could potentially be doubled. the recovery of fuel products and/or materials from solid waste is also shown to be an attractive and efficient energy source.     

Energy indicators for tracking sustainability in developing countries

Due to the fact that human activities and most sustainability issues are closely related to energy use, the energy system is a sound framework for providing lead indicators for sustainable development. Common energy-economic models enable the estimation of future states of the energy system. An energy system-based lead indicator set can be used to develop consistent and coherent future indicator estimates and to track sustainability, a clear advantage over existing sets.     

Energy conservation in electrical water heating in buckets

In the present paper a techno-economic analysis for electrical water heating in buckets is presented, and the methods for improving the efficiency of the use of electricity have been evaluated. The mathematical model developed has been validated by experiments. The use of a floating cover is seen to increase the efficiency of utilization of electricity in winter conditions by about 20 per cent. Assuming conservatively a hot water demand of 40 litres/day in the winter season, the use of a cover costing Rs 8 leads to a saving of about Rs 56 per year in the electricity bill.     

The issue-attention cycle: a question of impact on energy conservation policy in West Germany

In the 1970s energy was one of the most prominent political topics — in the 1980s it has been replaced as the major debate by employment, microelectronics, the environment and the search for peace. The implementation of energy conservation programmes decided upon at the height of the energy debate is, however, still underway and only partly successful. The impact of the changes in the general political climate upon energy conservation policy in the 1980s will be analysed and discussed with special reference to West Germany.     

Energy conservation topics at energex ′84

International Energy conservation developments and programmes for institutional buildings, industrial processes, agricultural operations, residential buildings, land use planning and transport services are summarized. The topics were presented by experts to an international audience at ENERGEX ′84 held in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada during May 1984.     

Energy conservation in the greenhouse system: A steady state analysis

We have evaluated the five typical shape of the greenhouse for energy conservation in winter months for a composite climate. An expression for the plant temperature has been used for steady state analysis. Numerical computation has been carried out for the climatic condition of Delhi, India. The evaluation of the shape of the greenhouse has been done for a given floor area. Additional energy required from other fuels to maintain the necessary temperature has also been considered. It has been observed that a standard peak uneven span is suitable for minimum use of liquefied petroleum gas for a given favourable plant temperature. Experimental validation of the thermal model has also been carried out.