The Energy pyramid and its sustainable flow process will prevent you from overspending and over producing energy as a result. Following this approach before installing a solar system for your home, business, and industry will achieve the end result in a sustainable manner. The energy pyramid teaches us to start the process with the ‘low hanging fruit’, from conserving the energy as a voluntarily measure and then into next level of replacing the inefficient or less efficient equipment’s with super energy efficient ones. The final stage of the pyramid is where one drives for the Rooftop solar power plant, following the Energy pyramid ensures savings for long term and results in cutting down of the power bills somewhere between 25-65% irrespective of their tariff.
Energy Conservation
The first step is very simple – consume a little less. By insulating our homes, offices more effectively, designing more energy-efficient buildings and adopting simple, practical steps such as having daylight, smart LEDs, Gorilla fans, we can reduce the amount of energy we use. Energy conservation is only part of the solution, especially in a growing economy. As India adopts and implements the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2017 we should realize the importance of investing in energy efficiency. This brings us to the next step in the energy pyramid.
Energy Efficiency
Explaining Energy Efficiency through the concept of Demand Side Management (DSM) would be more appropriate for today’s ecosystem. Demand Side Management (DSM) is the mechanism of reducing or shifting of energy consumption through efficiency. This is the concept of using or retrofitting homes, institutions, industries from inefficient or less efficient electrical appliances to Super Energy Efficient appliances. One such example is for ceiling fans is the super energy efficient Gorilla fan which consumes only 28W and is also the India’s most energy efficient fan.
Although adopting energy conservation practices makes a great difference, installing energy efficient products is a huge leap. For example, turning the lights on and off as a standard practice may save 5% to 10% energy on the lighting bill. However, switching from incandescent light/CFLs to smart LED lights & also EE fans can save up to 65%. With these two practices combined the average commercial, institutional customers will only be using 5% to 10% of the energy compared to before. Only then will these homes, institutions be ready for the next step, energy production through renewable systems like solar and wind, etc.
Energy Generation through rooftop solar power plants
It would be the wrong decision to directly opt for a solar system by only by analyzing the power bills and the connected loads. After solar installation one may find that the power bill is only saving a small percentage in the bills say (5 – 15%). But whereas applying the DSM mechanism, reducing the load at demand side and then opting for a solar power system would fetch a savings from 25-65%. This is the best practice which is also suggested by experts and Energy auditors.
Conclusion
The goal of achieving sustainability will become a reality nationwide as awareness peaks and the Energy pyramid is aligned with the solar installations. To achieve the National Solar Mission target of 40 GW rooftop solar power, one should understand and take the Energy pyramid seriously and thereby need to implement DSM measures and then finally go of rooftop solar.
