Energy efficiency is a key component in our strategy to increase the sustainability of our operations. Championing and practicing energy efficiency helps us reduce emissions, improve the operational performance of our plants and facilities, and promote environmentally responsible communities.
Energy efficiency simply means using less energy to perform the same task – that is, eliminating energy waste. Energy efficiency brings a variety of benefits: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing demand for energy imports, and lowering our costs on a household and economy-wide level. While renewable energy technologies also help accomplish these objectives, improving energy efficiency is the cheapest – and often the most immediate – way to reduce the use of fossil fuels. There are enormous opportunities for efficiency improvements in every sector of the economy, whether it is buildings, transportation, industry, or energy generation.
Buildings
Building designers are looking to optimize building efficiency and then incorporate renewable energy technologies, leading to the creation of zero-energy buildings. Changes in existing buildings can also be made to reduce energy usage and costs. These may include small steps, such as choosing LED light bulbs and energy efficient appliances, or larger efforts such as upgrading insulation and weatherization.
Energy Generation and Distribution
Combined heat and power systems capture the "waste" heat from power plants and use it to provide heating, cooling, and/or hot water to nearby buildings and facilities. This increases the energy efficiency of power generation from approximately 33 percent to up to 80 percent. The smart grid is another system that will improve the efficiency of electric generation, distribution, and consumption.
Community Design
Neighbourhoods that are designed with mixed use developments and safe, accessible options for walking, biking, and public transportation are key to reducing the need for personal vehicle travel.
Vehicles
More energy efficient vehicles require less fuel to cover a given distance. This generates fewer emissions, and makes them significantly less expensive to operate. Plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles are particularly fuel efficient.
Freight
Freight can be moved more efficiently by improving the efficiency of rail and truck transportation and by shifting long-distance freight transport from trucks to rail.
Human Behaviour
The four strategies above improve energy efficiency primarily through technology and design. However, the way people use these technologies will significantly impact their effectiveness. What impact can a highly efficient technology have if households and businesses are not motivated to buy, install, and/or activate it? How does driving behaviour and unnecessary idling impact gas mileage? How many people will use public transportation if there is a cultural stigma against it? Research has shown that 30 percent of the potential energy savings of high efficiency technologies is lost due to a variety of social, cultural, and economic factors. Addressing these factors is also an important component of making our economy more energy efficient.
Energy remains one of the critical challenges of the future. Businesses need to strike the balance between operational efficiency and sustainable development. With soaring energy prices and increased scarcity of natural resources, pinpointing energy efficiencies – from planning to manufacturing to operations - makes good business sense.
One way of reducing energy costs is to become more energy efficient so as to optimise existing resources and plan the right investments in new technologies. This will help manage operating costs and provide better delivery of services to customers while reducing environmental impacts and mitigating risk. Additionally, a documented commitment to sustainable development is a powerful and effective way to demonstrate social responsibility and meet changing customer preferences.
I never miss a chance to stress that energy saving, especially in the construction sector, is the most important energy resource for our country; sadly, despite progress made in recent years, it still remains untapped. It is a known fact that the “greenest” kWh is the one we have never consumed.
Clearly, energy saving in the construction sector must be considered as a national energy resource similar to lignite, the geothermal, the sun and the wind, which can provide in the future a comparative advantage for the country’s economy and development.
At international level, the construction sector is one of the most important sectors of economic activity, with a turnover of nearly $3 trillion that represents approximately 10% of the global economy.
Buildings consume 40% of the world’s energy and 16% of the world’s drinking water supply, while producing 50% of carbon dioxide emissions.
Given that each job in the construction sector leads to the creation of 2 new jobs, it can be argued that buildings, either directly or indirectly, are responsible for creating 20% of global labour.
Sustainable management of cities is the challenge of current practices throughout the developed world. It is a holistic approach that combines physical planning, urban planning and architectural design so as to meet the developmental model needs.
Proper architectural, bioclimatic and energy design provides a great opportunity for the revitalization and salvation of cities, in ways such as:
1) creation of large, medium and small-size green air-ducts that will guide air turbulence through the city with suitable tree planting along streets, open spaces, main road arteries and squares;
2) use of modern cold materials in spaces, streets, pavements and building façades;
3) installation of energy systems using renewable energy sources in buildings;
4) creation of buildings that incorporate innovative building materials, systems and
technologies that do not absorb energy.
Sustainability and Reliability will be the Way for the Future
Sustainability has to be integral to industry infrastructure development across diverse projects from green buildings to water conservation in municipalities. Today, green buildings that use 100% recycled materials, often ship them from western countries, and thereby undermine the larger objective of reducing the carbon footprint. On the other hand, recycled products can be manufactured in India at one-tenth of the cost of the goods imported.
Reliable quality power supply still continues to be the crux of the issues in promoting EE. Despite various initiatives in the power sector, India’s Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses are in the magnitude of 22-45%. These figures are also not from metered calculations; estimated figures indicate a fiscal loss of about INR 20 billion. The utilities are wary about the challenges in convincing the regulators and the consumers of the value and benefits of smart grids. Smart Grids can be integral in such a scenario through automating existing electricity networks and improving communication with consumers. Distribution utilities can optimize power distribution and hence increase efficiency and reduce losses. Besides logistics, data security and privacy become key issues. Utilities and regulators need to realize the project’s investment value, develop sustainable business models and enable decision-makers to make use of Smart Grids successfully.
Let me conclude. We must prepare for a post-crisis new normal, and harness energy and resource efficiency on the road to recovery. As the world moves towards a low-carbon future, which it must, economies that start investing in transforming their energy mix and improving energy efficiency will develop greater climate, energy, and economic resilience. Companies, as the building blocks of economic activities, should embrace sustainable business practices now. This will allow us to harness future business opportunities and pave the way for a greener future for Singapore.
I wish everyone a fruitful conference.
Thank you.
About Dr Pratik Mungekar
1) He is the first indian to be appointed as the planetary Minister of Sustainable Development of Newly emerging The Kingdom of Atlantis (a Decentralized Sovereign kingdom)
2) He is the first youngest Indian whose book Introduction to sustainable Development Goals (Non Academic) is now part of Atlantean Education program.
3) He is first youngest Indian to receive 300+ Honorary Doctorates from all over the world.
4)He is first youngest Indian professor who taught to more than 8000+ Students & Career guided 4000+ Students till date & the count is still on.
5) He is the first Indian who has 850+ International, National & State Awards 6 National Patents, 15 World Records at the age of 28 for his contribution in the field of Teaching & Research.
6) He is the first youngest Indian to receive 125+ Honorary High Degrees across the Globe.
7) He is the first Indian to be appointed by 45+ International organizations on various High-positions at the same time.
8) He is the first youngest Indian to be appointed as Ambassador by 46 organization of many countries in almost all disciplines.
9) He is the first Indian youngest professor to start teaching at the age of sixteen, the age of twenty Seven He has completed twelve years of Teaching.
10) He is the first Youngest Indian to receive Royal &Prestigious Titles such as 1)Lecturus Magnificus (L.M.), 2) H.R.H. 5* Duke.
11) First Youngest Indian to receive Mendeleev’s Fellowship ( United Kingdom’s Highest Academic Honour).
12)First Indian to receive the distinguished title “Professor Wisdom” from Institución Cultural Colombiana Casa Poética Magia y Plumas ,Colombia South America.
13) Visting faculty in many National & Foreign Universities.
14)Director Research & Innovation
OXFAA University, Lighthouse Leadership University.
15) Vice Chancellor
Unified Theological Seminary USA
University of Kingdom of Atlantis
Today, the name of Prof. Dr. Pratik Rajan Mungekar is no longer common but is emerging as a distinguished Scientist, Professor, World Educationist, Published Writer, Counsellor, Social Worker, and an International Speaker
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