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What do we mean by energy conservation?
Today in the present day scenario, what we are doing without realizing is that we are wasting much of nature’s energy instead of promoting energy conservation.
14th December is celebrated as the national energy conservation day all over India since 1991. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Ministry of Power, heads the celebrations every year. In the year 2001, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) executed the Energy Conservation Act in India. The objective behind the celebration of the National Energy Conservation Day is to drive mass awareness about the importance of energy efficiency and conservation.
The actual meaning of energy conservation is to avoid unnecessary use of energy and to minimize energy consumption so that the various energy resources can be saved for future uses. The concept of energy conservation should be rooted in the behaviour of every human being, says top b Tech College in India.
Importance of Energy Conservation
Today energy use is a major source of global warming, which has the potential of making the earth uninhabitable. Energy sources like Fossil fuels, Crude oil, coal, natural gas, etc. generate sufficient energy for use in daily life but in modern times, the technology prevailing world needs more and more energy day by day. This creates the fear of reducing or diminishing the natural resources, which are already on the brink of exhaustion.
The only way to replace non-renewable energy sources is by promoting the use of renewable energy sources. The Efficient use of energy is necessary for storing energy for future use. According to BP Statistical Review of World Energy, 2010, at the current reserve to production ratio:
- Oil is expected to last around 45 years
- Gas around 65 years
- Coal around 200 years
High energy consumption not only takes a toll on one’s pocket but also their well-being. The bright lights at our workplaces lead to a variety of problems including:
- Stress
- Headache
- high blood pressure
- Fatigue
- reduced work efficiency of workers
Whereas natural day lighting does not have any glare hence it is more eye-pleasing and enhances the productivity level of workers with the benefit of reducing energy consumption.
Government Initiatives
The governments of various countries have come up with energy or carbon taxes to decrease the unnecessary wastage of energy. Petroleum Conservation Research Association (established in 1977) and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (established in 2001) are the two major initiatives by the Government of India for better energy efficiency and conservation.
Initiatives are taken by the college
As the best engineering college in Rajasthan, the college has taken various initiatives to not only reduce energy conservation but also reduce the waste generated at the campus.
Initiative 1: Solar Power Plant
To give it back to the environment, AGC installed a 500kW Solar Power Plant on the rooftop of its engineering and pharmacy colleges as well as on the various hostel buildings. The solar power plant is powering the whole Main Campus with renewable solar energy.
Initiative 2: Biogas Plants
AGC is spread over 25 acres of lush green campus and provides a residential facility to more than 1500 students at the campus. The significant bio waste generated at the campus including the dried leaves, grass, food waste from the college canteen, and mess areas are utilized in making Methane by the Biogas plants at the campus. The methane generated by this process is used in cooking and operating heaters at the campus. Thus reducing the use of LPG Gas Cylinders and electricity.
Initiative 3: Sewage Treatment Plant
Every day 1000 liters of wastewater containing paper, plastic bags, glass, wood, etc. are generated at various offices, schools, colleges, and residential facilities, which is then directed towards open dumping yards. This solid waste results in soil pollution and contamination of underground water.
Arya College Jaipur does not follow this malpractice. We treat all the wastewater generated at the campus which includes the wastewater from the kitchen, canteen, and washrooms at our In-house Sewage Treatment Plant.
After the treatment process, the wastewater can be easily discharged into the sewage lines. The process not only reduces the harmful solid waste released into the environment but also helps in reducing the load on the Municipal STP and prevents clogging of sewage lines.
Initiative 4: Motion Sensor Lights
In any building both residential and commercial, one of the major reasons for energy wastage is the continuous use of Lights in the corridors, classrooms, bathrooms, offices even when nobody utilizes the area. Also, we see that individuals leave the area/classroom/lab without turning off the lights. Washrooms being one of the busiest areas, it is not feasible to turn off the lights every time it is not being used.
To overcome this huge energy wastage, we have installed Motion sensors in the classrooms, labs, and washrooms at all of its college buildings. In the absence of students/faculty in the classrooms or labs, the lights turn off automatically after 5 minutes.
In the washroom whenever an individual enters, only when the lights turn on and it gets turned off after no motion is detected for 1 min. Thus resulting in energy consumption.
Initiative 5: Use of LED Lights
Traditional light bulbs consume more energy than LED and CFLs. To promote energy conservation Arya college Main Campus has installed its own LED Bulb manufacturing unit at its campus and we have replaced all the normal bulbs with LED’s at all our college buildings, mess, canteen as well as the hostel rooms, thus cutting down costs as well as preventing the waste of energy.
How can you contribute?
Any individual can save energy by deeply taking care of small things such as turning off the unnecessarily running fans, lights, submersible, heater, car-pooling, or limiting the daily usage of high energy consumption devices. These are the easier and efficient ways to save the unnecessary use of energy thus playing an important role in saving the environment and our mother earth.
Significant Roles of Indian Citizens in Energy Conservation
Each citizen of India must be aware of how to use efficient energy, how to save energy for their future safety, and many more ways. Everyone should follow the rules, regulations, and policies implemented by the Government of India to support energy efficiency and much more energy conservation.
