Conserving energy

Legal provisions are in the pipeline to devise measures for energy conservation in the wake of the drastic escalation in the country’s fuel bill amidst the periodic price fluctuation in the market that is having a ripple effect on the economy.

The Draft Bill for the setting up of a Sustainable Energy Authority is already before Parliament whereby it is envisaged to devise means of cutting down excessive fuel consumption by the public whilst also taking legal action against those violating guidelines pertaining to fuel consumption.

The decision of the Government to think of fuel and energy conservation methods is a sign of the magnitude of the problem affecting the energy sector with runaway increases in the global oil prices.

The problem is exacerbated by the over-reliance of fuel driven power generation which accounts for more than 65 per cent of the country’s total energy output with hydropower accounting for the rest.

Today many things have been taken for granted by an overindulgent gadget-driven populace who cares a tuppence about the prevailing crisis.

Therefore before any Act could be passed there is an immediate need for the Government to launch a campaign to prevail on the public the urgent need for energy conservation.

In this regard the State institutions are the biggest offenders. One has only to walk into a Government Department to witness this laid back approach to the energy crisis, where fans rotate idly, lights burn randomly and power guzzling air conditioners function at full throttle in empty spaces.

Unattended street lights are another glaring example of public lethargy and local bodies take no notice either. Switching off even a single electric bulb would collectively contribute to a sizable reduction of our inflated fuel bill.

One must remember that the Government heavily subsidises the fuel sold to the Ceylon Electricity Board, incurring a huge cost.

That expenditure could be lowered significantly if we collectively switch off unnecessary lights and electric appliances. Even the simple act of turning the television set off completely instead of keeping it on standby can save a significant quantum of power over a month.

Therefore parallel to the setting up of the Authority, a vigorous campaign should be carried out to instill a degree of civic consciousness among the public on this matter.

Another aspect that should draw the immediate attention of the Government is the fuel wasted on our highways. A sizable saving on the domestic fuel Bill could be made by arresting excessive fuel consumption by motorists.

Singapore, which is a thriving economy, still maintains austerity measures in this respect where it encourages every vehicle entering the Central Business District to have more than a single occupant. This is to prevent congestion and by extension, conserve fuel.

We too could adopt such a scheme which would also have the additional effect of arresting environment pollution. We could also adopt the ‘car pool’ system where employees of the same company/institution take turns to transport their colleagues to and from office which all adds up to fuel conservation.

The Government should start its campaign by appealing to the collective conciseness of the masses and enlisting their support even in a small measure.

It is also time to seriously venture into alternative methods of power generation, including solar power and wind power. There is an ingrained notion among the people that all villages must get national grid electricity.

While this is a noble ideal, some villages are so remote and physically inaccessible that extending the national grid would be a prohibitively costly exercise.

Solar power is free once the initial investment has been made and there has never been a better time to turn to the sun.