Currently, energy saving is one of the priorities. This is due to the lack of basic energy sources, increasing the cost of their production, and global environmental problems.
What is energy saving?
Saving energy the efficient use of energy resources by utilizing innovative solutions that are technically feasible and economically justified, and acceptable environmental and social points of view, do not change the habitual way of life. This definition is formulated at the International energy conference.
Energy saving in all areas is essential to reduce to reduce the unnecessary energy loss. Analysis of losses from production, distribution and consumption of electricity shows that most of the losses – up to 90% – is in terms of energy consumption, while electricity transmission losses account for only 9-10%. Therefore, the main efforts of the energy savings is concentrated in the area of energy consumption.
The most important significance of increasing the efficiency of energy use belongs to modern energy-saving technologies. Energy-saving technology, new or advanced technological process, which is characterized by greater efficiency in the use of fuel and energy resources (FER).
The introduction of energy-saving technologies in economic activity as businesses and individuals at the household level, is an important step in solving many environmental problems – climate change, pollution (eg. emissions CHP), exhaustion of fossil resources, etc.
Generally, companies implement the following technologies, which offer significant energy-saving effect:
- Joint technology, many companies related to energy use (motors with variable speed, heat exchangers, compressed air, lighting, heating, cooling, drying, etc.).
- More efficient energy production, including a modern boiler houses, heat and electricity, but also heat -, cold -, electricity; replace old industrial equipment with new, more powerful.
- Alternative sources of energy.
Power saving mode is particularly important mechanisms that part-time work reduced the load – conveyors, pumps, fans, etc. There are many devices that can be used to achieve reduction of losses when operating the electronic equipment, including capacitor Banks and variable frequency drives. Frequency variable drives with built-in features and power optimization of flexible change of frequency of rotation depending on the actual load, which saves up to 30-50% of the electricity consumed. This often does not require replacement of the standard engine, which is especially important when upgrading facilities. These energy saving drives and automation can be implemented in most industrial enterprises and the housing sector: from elevators and ventilation installations of enterprise automation.
Researchers have developed a plant, which part of the heat passes through the tube after combustion in the production of natural gas is used to produce more energy capable of lighting five buildings of 16 floors.
Energy-saving technologies in construction is the complex, this includes wall insulation, energy efficient roof, energy saving paint, windows, economical heating and cooling surfaces.
One of the most common energy-saving technologies, which have great potential to improve the housing construction of the boiler. Modern technology can significantly reduce energy consumption, reduce maintenance costs, improve efficiency. In addition, replace the boiler often allows companies to move to the polluting and expensive coal or fuel oil to cheaper and clean fuel, such as natural gas or wood pellets.
Also gives a great saving if, instead, that a separate central heating units to accommodate individual heating unit, equipped with modern, quiet pump, compact and efficient plastic heat exchanger.
Organization of ventilation in the building is used for system recovery (recycling, re-use) the heat from the exhaust air and a variable flow ventilation units depending on the number of people in the building. These systems will allow not to waste heat produced by people, lighting, business and office equipment, and thus reduces heat from an external source – the heating system or boiler.
For example, in homes, allowing people to live in harmony with nature, at the same time not to deprive yourself of the usual comfort, the so-called home zero energy (zero energy house) or passive house (passive house), grouped into the General term "energy efficient house".
"Energy efficient" would be a house with a comfortable temperature in winter without heating system and in summer without air conditioning system.
The house is energy efficient in its construction must be made as follows:
- Modern thermal insulation of pipelines of heating and hot water.
- Individual source of heat and energy supply (individual boiler or cogeneration of electricity and heat energy source).
- Heat pumps that use geothermal heating, heat ventilation air and the heat from wastewater.
- Solar collectors for hot water supply and cooling system in the room.
- The heating system in each apartment heat meters and individual regulation of temperature conditions in the premises.
- System mechanical ventilation with individually adjustable and heat recovery from exhaust air.
- Each apartment has a controller that optimizes the heat consumption for heating and ventilation of the apartments.
- Walling with high thermal protection standards and heat tolerance.
- Waste heat and solar radiation the heat balance in the building based on the optimal choice of translucent enclosing structures.
- Devices that use scattered solar radiation, improve lighting and reduce energy consumption for lighting.
- Range of models of shading devices, according to the direction and the radiation intensity of fronts every season.
- By using heat from the return water of the heating system floor heating in the bathrooms.
- System control the heat and power supply, the micro climate of premises and technical equipment of the building on the basis of a mathematical model building a unified energy system.
There are other ways to optimize the use of electricity, not only in production but also in everyday life. Consequently, the already long-known "smart" lighting system. The energy-saving effect based on the fact that the light automatically turns on when you need it. The switch is an optical sensor and a microphone. Day high amount of light, lighting is disabled. At dusk the activation of the microphone. If the radius of the 5 m noise (e. g., footsteps or the sound of the door opening), the light automatically illuminates and remains on until the person is in the room. Such lighting systems using energy-saving light bulbs.
Led-lamps allow you to achieve significant energy savings compared with traditional light sources, the incandescent lamp (80%) and fluorescent tubes (over 40%). These lamps can be used for lighting various objects: pedestrian underpasses and car parks, garden and Park lighting, street lighting, lighting housing, and emergency lighting.
There are promising energy conservation projects in the transport sector. American engineers come close to the production of passenger cars, equipped with attachments that convert exhaust heat into electricity. The generator, installed a muffler, that converts exhaust heat into electricity, which can ensure the operation of climate control systems, music systems, etc.
German scientists develop highly efficient energy-saving equipment is needed for vehicles with hybrid engines. The device works by using oil on the freeway and by electricity in town, thus using comparatively less energy.
In my house, each user can save power by adhering to the following rules:
- Replace incandescent bulbs with modern energy-saving lamps.
- Turn off unused devices (eg. TV, vcr, stereo).
- Electrical plates use cookware with a bottom, which is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the burner, do not use a pan with a curved bottom.
- Washable in the washing machine a full load and select a wash program.
- Keep an electric kettle a boiler scale.
- Do not dry the linen badly, it saves, when Ironing.
- Frequently change bags to collect the dust cleaner.
- Put in the fridge as cool as possible kitchen.
- Use light curtains, Wallpaper.
- Often wash windows, window sills put a small amount of colors.
- Do not close the blackout curtains and radiators.