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India Will be World's Third Largest Energy Consumer in Two Decades

SME WORLD Bureau
Jun 2010

Rude summer is hitting everybody's life. Scorching heat is penetrating not just into our rooms, offices or homes but our minds too. Heat is also a form of energy. To escape from the heat energy, we are conveniently spending other energy like electricity which being generated by heat itself besides other sources too.

In the process, we, more often than not, develop a cult to misuse the energy not just in the form of electricity but petroleum too. Petroleum is related to every man's life. At the individual level or the organizational level, petroleum has become the part of our life. Ever since the industrialization, petroleum has become a critical component for running industries.

The misuse and wastage of petro energy in the petro-intensive industries is a common phenomenon. According to Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA), industrial sector accounts for 25% of the total oil consumption. Proper management and right usage of the energy could result the saving by at least 20%. That means a huge amount of energy can be conserved.

PCRA, since its inception, has been engaged in a lot of commendable activities for propagating petroleum conservation ranging from conducting research, providing training for energy conservation guidelines, energy audits, spreading awareness etc. PCRA's efforts have since come a long way. Almost all the big industries based on the petro energy are now using PCRA suggested/developed techniques or methodologies for the maximum conservation of energy.

SMEs' Initiatives in Conservation

But the dimensions of PCRA are not limited to the large industries. PCRA has conceived many activities for SMEs as well. SMEs are the considered to be less equipped and efficient and are found wanting in many ways to conserve energy. In view of the growing SMEs using petro energy, there is, however, an urgent need to spread awareness and knowledge about the judicious way of using without compromising with the quantum and quality of production.

“We have different programmes for SMEs. We conduct free energy audits in their premises and have two specific programmes for SMEs. First, we organize the free energy audits for the SMEs to check their actual use of the energy consumption, rectify the loopholes where the energy is being overused and we advice them the best way for maximum conservation,” says P. K. Motwani, Additional Director & Chief Regional Coordinator (Northern India) of PCRA.

Motwani, an engineering graduate from IIT Roorkee with diploma in Production Management, is more than enthusiastic in his approach. Explaining the second specific activity of PCRA with SMEs in mind, he says that PCRA regularly conducts Fuel Oil Diagnostic Studies (FDDS) for the small sized industries. “More than four hundred studies are being conducted every year for the SMEs sector,” he says.

PCRA has distinct definition for the small sector. “Any unit which consumes less than 500 KV energy per year is being defined as SSI and the units having more consumption the 500 KV per year are being termed as large companies,” says Motwani.

PCRA also provides many energy audit instruments for the industries like fuel gas analysers, temperature indicators, thermal insulation scanner, steam trap monitor, thermo-hygrometer, ultrasonic flow meter, harmonic analyser, etc.

Motwani in a discussion with SME WORLD highlights different activities of PCRA in detail.

Why the conservation of petroleum products has become essential?

The primary energy demand in India is projected as 770 Mtoe in 2015 and 1300 Mtoe in 2030.This way, by 2030, India will be the 3rd largest energy consumer in the world after China & USA. India currently imports 120 million tones of crude oil from middle east & consumption is projected to reach 370 MMT by 2025. In order to sustain this level of consumption, new strategies in production, distribution & end-use efficiency and conservation will be essential. Petroleum products utilization efficiency studies in transport, industrial, agricultural, commercial and domestic sector have shown that all these sectors have conservation potentials of 20%. Conservation is mainly a beneficial outcome of improved end-use efficiency and partly of preventing handling losses. Hence, conservation has become very important in today's energy scenario.

What has been PCRA's pioneering role?

Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) has been engaged in energy conservation efforts for over 28 years. It was set up in 1978 under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, which had identified conservation as a major strategy in the Country's future energy demand management and, therefore, given it high priority. Accordingly, PCRA was mandated to spread mass awareness about the importance and need for petroleum conservation in the country and promote actual conservation in the major economic sectors of transport, industry, agriculture commercial and households, by working closely with consumers. A sustained high annual growth rate in the country's oil consumption in subsequent years made PCRA's role increasingly relevant and more crucial.

What are the strategies to spread awareness?

In pursuance of its objectives, PCRA's core activities are divided into three broad areas, namely Field Activities, Education Campaign and Research & Development. Field activities bring PCRA in direct touch with consumers of petroleum products in the five major consuming sectors of transport, industry, agriculture, commercial and households and help in identifying and implementing conservation measures beneficial to individual consumers. Education campaign seeks to spread the message of oil conservation and environmental protection among the masses and provide simple tips on conservation methods in different sectors. These campaigns are carried out using various media like printed literature, newspaper advertisements, radio, television, video films, hoardings, bus and train panels etc.

What are major activities of PCRA to promote conservation?

The following activities of PCRA lead to accomplish its goal:

(i) Driver Training Programmes : The transport sector accounts for nearly 50% the petroleum products consumed in India annually and has the potential to save 20% in this consumption through conservation measures. PCRA's three-day driver training programme is specially designed to improve the driving skills of commercial vehicle drivers and educate them on simple fuel saving practices, each of these programme is conducted for a group of about 20 drivers from State Transport Undertakings (STUs), Defence establishments, paramilitary forces, oil companies and large fleet operations. PCRA till date has conducted 6000 Driver Training Programmes and has trained more than 1.5 lac drivers.

ii) Model Depot Studies: These studies cover the existing systems and maintenance practices at the transport depots and workshops of STUs and are intended to rationalize them to achieve diesel savings. Around more than 2200 such studies have been completed till date.

iii) Energy Audits: The industrial sector consuming 25% of petroleum products also has the scope for reducing 20-25% of their consumption. Energy audits are undertaken for large industries to identify possible areas of improvement in energy efficiency and promote energy efficient practices, equipment and technology. These audits have revealed that nearly 10-15% of the saving potential is achievable with improvements in housekeeping and other maintenance practices without the need for much investment. We have conducted more than 12,000 energy audits so far.

iv) Follow-up on Implementations of Energy Audit Recommendations: Studies at six-monthly intervals after implementing the recommendations of the original audit are also conducted to evaluate the results. Fuel Oil Diagnostic Studies for medium industries and SSI studies for the small-scale sector also have the same objectives. Till date PCRA has conducted more than 16,000 Energy Audits in various types of Industries.

iv) Institutional Training Programmes: These programmes are conducted by PCRA at the premises of individual industries for groups of engineers/ technicians where the findings of completed energy audits are discussed as case studies so that the participants are apprised of the various factors to be taken care of, to improve energy efficiency in their industries

v) Kissan Melas / Exhibitions: These are organized at big grain markets to spread conservation awareness amongst farmers and the masses. 401 Kissan Melas and 700 Exhibitions have been organized till date.

vi) LPG and Kerosene Conservation in Households: LPG and kerosene consumed in homes form 20% of the total consumption of petroleum products in the country. PCRA's conservation programmes in this sector are focused on promoting the use of fuel efficient cooking and lighting appliances, educating housewives on good cooking habits and use of alternate energy sources like bio-gas and solar power. These are done through clinics and workshops. Five-day intensive training programmes are also held at residential complexes of large industrial establishments with the same objective in Energy Conservation Week.

vii) Youth Programmes: Making the country's young generation aware of the importance and need for energy conservation is also given due attention. Competitive activities like quiz, essay and painting competitions, debates etc. on the theme of energy conservation and environment, as well as special radio and TV programmes etc. are part of these programmes.

„h Organising, conducting and supervising Industrial, Transport & Agricultural Workshops,

„h Arranging seminars & consumer / technical meets to spread the message of energy conservation

„h Making technical presentations in various forums like Consumer Meets, Institutional Training Programs, Technical Seminars etc.

Oil & Gas Conservation Fortnight: Oil and Gas Conservation Fortnight is another important activity observed every year during January 15-31 to draw special attention of consumers in transport, industry, agriculture and household sectors as well as other sections of the society to the importance and need for conservation of petroleum products and gas. PCRA in association with the public sector oil and gas companies organize thousands of activities and mass awareness campaigns during this period.

Awards: PCRA has instituted a number of annual awards to recognize outstanding achievements in energy efficiency and conservation by State Governments, government and private organizations, industries, transport operators and individuals. These awards are presented by the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas at the valedictory function of Oil and Gas Conservation Fortnight in January every year.

What New Initiatives in changing energy scenario proposed?

It is increasingly becoming clear that an energy system based on conventional sources like petroleum will not be sustainable and, therefore, alternate and renewable energy sources will be a major part of the country's future energy mix. Production and utilization of gas is already gaining ground as alternate fuel in transport vehicles and various industries. Ethanol was introduced as a blending component up to 5% in petrol in some of the States. Various agencies are also working on the production of bio-diesel and other non-conventional energy sources to ease the pressure on scarce petroleum.

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