Energy Planning-1

Energy Planning

Energy is essential for living and vital for development. Affordable energy directly contributes to reducing poverty, increasing productivity and improving quality of life. Likewise lack of access to reliable energy is a severe impediment to sustainable social development and economic growth.

For any developing country like ours, the strategy for energy development is an integral part of the overall economic strategy. Efficient use of resources and long term sustainability remains the main objective of economic planning.

Sustainability would take into account not only available natural resources and issues related to ecological balance but also established delivery mechanisms, the technological constraints that are prevalent in the system and immediate compulsion to meet the priority needs of the economy, economic equity and self-reliance.

In Asia, Japan and China are the largest consumers of energy. In Japan, the energy policy objectives can be summarized as the "3Es" namely :

• Energy Security
• Economic development
• Environmental sustainability

Japan's objective is to achieve the three goals simultaneously, although they often contradict one another and the government recognizes the possibility of trade-offs between them. Owing to conscious policy since early 70s, Japan has been able to

a). reduce energy consumption through conservation.
b). reduce oil consumption through diversification.
c). increase use of natural gas over coal (Japan is deficit in both resources) due to favorable impact on environment.
d). increase nuclear energy and maximize renewable resources.

As a result of their effort energy mix of Japan has changed with oil having been diversified into nuclear, natural gas and coal.

The generation of power needs energy resources. The conventional energy resources are fast depleting and therefore renewable energy resources (solar, wind, biomass etc.) needs to be developed. There is a strong need to have proper energy management of all energy resources and their use so that we are able to meet the growing energy demand of all sections of the society.

Integrated Rural Energy Programme (IREP) of Government of India is comprehensive in nature with its focus on providing guidelines for preparation and implementation of area-based (village cluster, block-level, district-level) integrated rural energy plan and project through which planned inputs of all types of energy resources and technologies would be effectively promoted in an integrated manner for improving the living conditions of the rural people.

Methodology Of Rural Energy Planning:-

Basic Data Type:-

For the preparation of an energy plan, you need to have some data from the relevant department. For a village for which you are planning to have an energy survey, you need to collect the following information from the district headquarters, village panchayat, block development officers etc. 

• Total number of House Holds (HH).
• Total House Hold Population (HHP).
• Age, male/female population, educational level.
• Occupational level of the people.
• Types of energy sources used and their consumption.
• Landholding pattern (small farmer, medium farmer and large farmers).
• Irrigated and un-irrigated land.
• Small scale industries in the villages.
• Animal type and their population and
• The growth rate of the human population and animals.

Survey Methods

The survey methodology is outlined below. The basic steps involved in the collection of energy data and analysis are:

• Step 1:- Survey energy consumption data for select villages and a select household of the blocks.
• Step 2:- Survey and estimate available of resources.
• Step 3:- Project energy consumption data at the block level and availability of resources.
• Step 4:- Project gap between demand and supply of energy at the block level.
• Step 5:- Recommend a plan to fill the gap and further boost the energy supply.
• Step 6:-  Recommend renewable energy devices on the basis of their saving potential and propose financial outlay.

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT ORGANISTION

Main Features of the proposed Action Plan:-

The main objective of the energy planning exercise was to evaluate existing consumption pattern of energy and its future demand in various sectors and to suggest different ways and means of augmenting, substituting and conserving energy resources.

• Preparation of IREP plan and projects need to be aimed at achieving the goals of energy availability, employment generation, protecting the environment and ensuring the village energy security.
• The proposed plan should give emphasize the promotion of new and renewable energy devices.
• The outcome of the entire exercise of assessment of energy demand and supply should be mentioned in proposed plan.
• The plan should give an objective assessment of various devices and systems and make recommendations for devices considered appropriate for the area.
• The use of biogas plants whether for a family or for the community should also be recommended because the biogas programme may create a revolutionary impact
• The energy devices suggested should be based on their suitability/affordability in the local context and not only on the willingness of households. For this purpose, the income level of people may be an indicator.
• Implementation time schelude should be given in the plan.
• The energy plan should indicate the efforts required for pooling and mobilization of resources. It should also indicate the need, if any, for awareness programmes for the masses and training programmes for different rural development functionaries.

SURVEY DATA:-

It is very difficult to collect data from each and every village of a block and from each and household in the block. At least 2 to 3 % of the total number of villages should be surveyed exhaustively. However, for a cluster, the entire population of all the villages should be surveyed to prepare a plan. This is known as census "survey". In order to prepare a plan for the district level, about 20 to 30 % of households should be surveyed from each block to estimate per capita consumption of energy and availability of resources.

For Block Level Plan:-

Total population of 2-3% of the villages needs to be surveyed.

For District Level Plan:-

20-30% of the households from each block need to be surveyed.

LIMITATION OF SURVEY DATA:-

• The energy plan is base on the data collected by the survey team after conducting extensive interviews with the head of families of the villages in the block.
• Precautions should be taken while collecting the data. You will notice that many of the villagers do not keep the record of their fuel consumption the data collected from such household is based on their estimation.
• As a member of the survey team, you may be required information. Some of the villagers may even be reluctant to share the information with visiting team. They need to be told about the purpose and how they are going to be benefited.