Energy Efficiency & Conservation - the only way for survival

Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is using less energy to provide the same level of energy service. For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature. Another example would be installing fluorescent lights and/or skylights instead of incandescent lights to attain the same level of illumination. Compact fluorescent lights use two-thirds less energy and may last 6 to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. Efficient energy use is achieved primarily by means of a more efficient technology or processes along with changes in individual behaviour.

Energy efficient buildings, industrial processes and transportation could reduce the world's energy needs in 2050 by one third, and help controlling global emissions of greenhouse gases, according to the 'International Energy Agency.'

Energy efficiency and renewable energy are said to be the twin pillars of sustainable energy policy.Making homes, vehicles, and businesses more energy efficient is seen as a largely untapped solution to addressing the problems of pollution, global warming, energy security, and fossil fuel depletion. Many of these ideas have been discussed for years, since the 1973 oil crisis brought energy issues to the forefront.

Energy conservation is broader than energy efficiency in that it encompasses using less energy to achieve a lesser energy service, for example through
behavioural change, as well as encompassing energy efficiency. Examples of conservation without efficiency improvements would be heating a room less in
winter, driving less, or working in a less brightly lit room. As with other definitions, the boundary between efficient energy use and energy conservation can be fuzzy, but both are important in environmental and economic terms. This is especially the case when actions are directed at the saving of fossil fuels.

Both Energy efficiency and renewable energy strategies must be developed concurrently in order to stabilize and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Efficient energy use is essential to slowing the energy demand growth so that rising clean energy supplies can make deep cuts in fossil fuel use. If energy use grows too rapidly, renewable energy development will chase a receding target. Likewise, unless clean energy supplies come online rapidly, slowing demand growth will only begin to reduce total carbon emissions; a reduction in the carbon content of energy sources is also needed. A sustainable energy economy thus requires major commitments to both efficiency and renewables.

As is well known that cost of generation of an iota of power is far greater than cost of conservation ,the time is ripe for every single person to be conscious of the role that he/she is playing towards consumption/reduction/conservation of energy. Higher commitments are solicited from governmetns and private players towards research and development of more energy efficient technologies. More and more systems have to be developed that focus around energy conservation and reduction. For the future generations to benefit out of all the advancements that have been achieved at a break-neck speed, energy is the key.