Energy Security

We are energy secure when all the citizen gets sufficient energy to fulfill their needs at an effective price with prescribed confidence level considering shocks and disruption which can be reasonably expected. Excess to cheap energy to every citizen has become essential to modern economy.

For four decades, energy security is a global issue. According to international energy agency, world energy outlook, india takes over china as largest source of consumption growth and is the leading demand center for every major element of every major element of the world energy mix. There will be 60 % increase in energy consumption of countries like India. China and Middle-East.
Energy security becomes a pertinent issue for country like India, China and Middle East.

Energy security is defined by encompassing three critical dimensions-

1.  Meeting India energy need to sustain annual economic growth of 8 to 9 % through 2035
2.  Meeting life long energy needs of all citizen to meet their social needs.
3. To ensure sustainable development of energy and use.

Energy security entails a complex set of coordinated initiative. It need energy strategies and policies to align in making specific choices for country in charting low carbon and energy secure growth.

Energy security remains an interplay between demand and supply scenarios. Most of the countries of the world will face huge crisis for their energy needs.

Demand and consumption in India 
 India is the fourth largest consumer in India after China, Russia and USA.It accounts for more than 4.6 % of total energy consumption.Coal is the mainstay for Indian energy needs. After that next big share is taken by hydrocarbons. India energy needs will increase in future depend upon how much energy needs will escalate.
India energy conservation capacity is a total of 25 %. Several energy initiative are taken by Government of India-

•  Super Energy efficient program

Massive economic growth and urbanization in India is needed to ensure sustained energy demand. The Government of India Integrated Energy Policy projects that india will need to increase its primary energy supply by four times its current level and electricity generation by upto six times its current level. Managing energy demand will be an essential step in closing the gap between energy demand and supply. The SEEP program initiates with a pilot phase of introducing approximately 5 million Super Efficient ceiling fans over four year project cycle. The objective of SEEP  to introduce technological innovation in appliance market to reduce energy consumption, by unlocking the potential of private sector finance. This project will provide manufacturers per fan incentives and indirect conserve energy.

• Smart Grid Initiative

Smart Grid technology brings out efficiency and sustainability in meeting the growing electricity demand with reliability and best of the quality. It enables real time monitoring and control of power system. Smart Grid will act as a backbone infrastructure to enable new business models like smart city, electric vehicles, smart communities apart from more resilient and efficient energy system and tariff structures.

• National Mission for enhanced energy efficiency

NEEE is a part of the National action plan for climate change. It encompasses four new initiative -

•  To enhance cost effectiveness of improvement in energy efficiency in energy intensive industries and facilities through certification of energy savings
•  To accelerate the shift to energy efficient appliances in sectors through measures to make product more affordable.
•  To make programs to carter the financial needs of the sectors.

 To developing fiscal instrument for promoting energy efficient instrument.

 Challenges related to energy security-

• Increased dependence on import of oil and gas resources.

Current annual growth rate for India is 8% and to sustain or increase CAGR  till 2040 more and more energy resources are needed. Self sufficiency in energy helps the country to expand its economic activity. Self sufficient in energy resources make china to fuel its economic programs better than India. High import energy dependence amounts to high vulnerable and compromised energy security of nation.It also makes growth rate depended on external factors like oil prices.

•  Limted coal reserves

Coal reserves are scanty in India. Country is facing huge challenges due to diminish coal supply both domestic and imported. 34% of  sedimentary area is unexplored in India. Though India has huge potential for coal reserves but it is still unexplored. 

• Nuclear Energy in Fukushima Scenarios

 Nuclear energy provides desirable alternative for India energy needs. It provide massive and clean energy with low carbon emission.But accident in Japan in Fukushima raise doubt in mind of people regarding nuclear plants.