Khalid Mahmood Awan

What is energy? Scientists describe it as the ability to do work. Modern civilization is possible because people have learned how to change energy from one form to another and then use it to do work. People use energy to walk and bicycle, move cars along roads and boats through water, cook food on stoves, make ice in freezers, light our homes and offices, manufacture products, and send astronauts into space.

There are many forms of energy:

• Heat
• Light
• Motion
• Electrical
• Chemical
• Gravitational

These forms of energy can be grouped into two general types of energy for doing work:

• Potential, or stored, energy
• Kinetic, or working, energy

Energy can be converted from one form to another. For example, the food you eat contains chemical energy, and your body stores this energy until you use it as kinetic energy during work or play. The stored chemical energy in coal or natural gas and the kinetic energy of water flowing in rivers can be converted to electrical energy, which can be converted to light and heat.https://republicpolicy.com/the-impact-of-nuclear-energy-consumption-on-economic-growth-and-co2-emissions-in-selected-asian-economies/

Energy Sources are Renewable or Nonrenewable

There are many different sources of energy, but they can all be divided into two categories:

• Renewable energy sources
• Nonrenewable energy sources

Renewable and nonrenewable energy sources can be used as primary energy sources to produce useful energy such as heat, or they can be used to produce secondary energy sources such as electricity and hydrogen.

What is energy security? The IEA defines energy security as the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price. Energy security has many aspects: long-term energy security mainly deals with timely investments to supply energy in line with economic developments and environmental needs.

Although the definition of energy security provided above is limited, the impact is quite exhaustive. Moreover, all other descriptions also illustrate the significance of energy security, its multi-dimensional nature, and why many countries regard it as a policy priority. In the short-term, energy security concerns focus on the ability of the energy system to react promptly to sudden changes in the supply-demand balance.

In the long-term, energy security concerns have to do with timely investments in energy supply in line with economic developments and environmental needs. At the multilateral and global levels, energy security has continued to receive increasing attention, as evidenced by Sustainable Development Goal 7 of the United Nations, which requires countries to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.https://republicpolicy.com/power-outages-in-pakistan-a-national-epidemic/

Why is energy security critical for a country?

Access to energy affects the provision and sustainability of humans’ basic needs. Apart from that, it also contributes to a country’s economic growth, political stability, and overall development and security of other sectors, such as agriculture and manufacturing.

Another definite answer to the question, “Why is energy security important?” It is now one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, and all signatories of the pact are bound to achieve the target of energy security. Along with energy accessibility, affordability, and sustainability, energy security forms a significant part of determining sustainable energy planning.

Moreover, energy security is tied to food security and food transportation in a way that the agricultural sector is both an energy user and an energy generator. Further, food production covers about 70% of water and 6% of energy on a global scale.

The rapid growth of energy demand brought about by economic expansion, population growth, new energy uses, and income growth makes energy security a pressing concern. This is why countries aim to ensure that their economies will function without disruptions in energy supply, providing people with adequate, reliable, and affordable supplies of modern and clean energy.

Factors Affecting Energy Security

Global energy supply, being unevenly distributed, is affected by various factors. These include:

• Physical factors – Regions with a predominantly sedimentary geological makeup presumably possess more available fossil fuels than other regions.
• Costs – Depletion of nonrenewable energy resources results in costly extraction processes. Hence, exploitation of such resources only becomes viable when the demand increases, which often results in rising energy prices needed to support extraction and production costs.
• Technology – Technological advancements gave rise to the exploitation of new energy sources. Although there’s a high risk of posing environmental threats, technology helps make renewable energy more economically viable and productive.
• Political factors – Socio-political issues such as international conflicts have a high potential to disrupt the energy supply and destroy energy sources, making it challenging to maintain energy security.

Pakistan is facing multiple challenges in energy security. Unfortunately, the energy sector depends upon exports, which is the primary bottleneck in not achieving the desired energy security objectives. Then, local resources are not developed. The primary issue is that technology has transformed almost all aspects of life. Then, Pakistan not only lags in technological skills but also does not learn to apply them. Conventional modes are redundant and technological applications are the way forward. Then, there is an administrative capacity crisis. All organizations charged with achieving energy security need to catch up in professional, administrative and organizational capacities. Furthermore, the political executive and political inconsistency in policies are also obstructing energy security objectives.

How can Pakistan overcome the energy crises? 

Conventional ways of generating electrical energy through nonrenewable resources is a long-term process, which usually takes five to ten years. In parallel to this, we should adopt all alternate ways to save and generate electricity through renewable resources to overcome the energy crisis in Pakistan. The following are the ways to save and generate energy.

ENERGY Preservation AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY ADVANCEMENT 

The first and foremost task is to save and conserve energy in domestic, commercial, industrial and institutional facilities. Every facility is trying to save energy, but the process needs to be faster because of the lack of energy conservation legislation and its implementation.

The most dominant energy-saving activity is the replacement of incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lighting (CFL). No doubt this activity will save a lot of energy, but more is needed. The energy-saving activities to be adopted in domestic, industrial, commercial and institutional facilities are as follows,

• Insulation of buildings’ roofs, walls, pipes and ducts.
• Use of glazed glass at building facades
• Use of energy-efficient materials in buildings
• Use of high-efficiency motors, pumps and controllers
• Use of Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
• Replacement of conventional heating & cooling by solar water heating & cooling
• Replacement of electro-magnetic ballast by electronic ballasts
• Replacement of traditional lighting by LED and Solar Lighting
• Installation of automatic shut-off of lighting
• Installation of occupancy sensors
• Installation of exterior lighting controls

Pakistan Engineering Council, ENERCON and other organizations have made joint efforts, but we need legislation and its implementation to achieve energy-saving targets. There is a need for quick enforcement of the Building Energy code 2010 so that national energy-saving targets can be achieved. Legislation delegated legislation, policy consistency, and implementation are critical for securing middle and long-term plans and objectives.

ALTERNATE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY APPLICATIONS

SOLAR THERMAL

Solar Thermal is the process of generating heating and cooling through solar radiation. Solar Water Heaters are a very economical and feasible option for domestic, commercial, industrial and institutional use. The barrier to the growth of the application of solar water heating is the need for knowledge and skills for installing, operating and using solar water heaters. The user’s behaviour and wrong perceptions are the main barriers to its growth. The growth of solar water heaters can be increased by creating more incentives by the Government and making it mandatory through the Building Energy Code to install solar water heaters in all kinds of facilities. The payback of solar water solutions varies from one to two years.

SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICS

Solar Photovoltaic is the process of generation of electricity through solar radiation. It is commonly called PV. PV components include Solar Panels, Inverters and Charge Controllers, Deep Cycle Batteries, Mountings, cables and accessories. Solar PV solution is not affordable and feasible. Reduction in excise duty and provision at lower costs will spur growth in the PV sector, which can help save energy. Grid Tied is processed by which the electricity can be sold back by the user to the grid at a fixed feed-in tariff, and when electricity is sold back, the energy meter moves in the reverse direction. Grid-Tied policy implementation is the real solution to Pakistan’s energy crisis.

SOLAR & LED LIGHTING

Solar and LED lighting is the best energy-saving option. The barrier to its growth is the high percentage of duties on importing Solar and LED lights. If the duties are done to zero, this sector can grow faster. It is just an estimate that 80 Watt LED search Lights can replace 400 watts of the conventional searchlight. You can see tremendous searchlights in Government and Pakistani buildings, and about one-fifth of energy can be saved by just replacing conventional lights with LED lights. LED lighting has tremendous advantages in comparison with conventional lighting.

WIND POWER

Wind Power is a relatively cheaper alternative energy solution, and Pakistan has great potential in wind power. The barrier to its growth is the lengthy process of acquisition of land and coordination issues of wind power developers with Government Institutions. Implementation of AE and RE policy 2010 can be instrumental in its fast growth of wind power.

Establishment of Energy Administrative Organizations 

One of the impediments to the growth of Alternate and Renewable applications is the need for one sole Energy Administration Authority to regulate the energy sector at the national level. The provinces should also develop their administrative departments to achieve energy security targets. In the aftermath of the 18th amendment, national and provincial organizations must work together and independently to achieve Pakistan’s energy security objectives. 

Energy Efficiency Improvement and the use of alternate and renewable energy applications can bring the country out of energy crises, and it will help reduce GHS emissions, enhancing the country’s energy security.https://republicpolicy.com/climate-change-food-security-agricultural-productivity-and-application-of-nuclear-technology/

The recovery strategy should focus on short, medium and long-term solutions to recover from the energy crisis and ensure energy security. Hence, the national and provincial domains must cooperate with the private sector for energy security. Robust legislation shall ensure efficient delegated legislation to formulate functional policies at national and provincial levels. The national and provincial administrative organizations must implement the legislative frameworks. The engineering work should apply modern technology for the renewable and modern way of developing the energy sector. The private sector should also come forward in this regard. Then, political consistency is the most critical part. 

The energy sector in Pakistan shall only flourish once it is established on local resources. The imports-based products shall only weaken the already weakened economy. Establishing the energy sector on local resources is the only way forward.