The energy crisis
Planning and directing energy production and consumption — to conserve resources, reduce cost and let consumers use energy sustainably for their needs — is called energy management.
The energy crisis
A large rise in the price of economically important energy resources is called an energy crisis. An oil crisis, an electricity crisis and a shortage of energy resources are all energy crises. It arises because supply cannot match the heavy demand for limited natural energy resources.
Causes of the energy crisis: rapid population growth; industries springing up on a large scale; overuse of energy; waste of energy; not exploring renewable energy resources; wars; and political problems.
Managing energy also meets technical problems — the technology to obtain some energy resources, and the methods of purifying others.
Assignment 15.11
List the things you do at home to use electrical energy efficiently, with the least waste.
For example: switch off lights and fans in empty rooms; use LED bulbs; unplug chargers; use the iron for a full load at once; open windows instead of switching on the fan when it is cool; use sunlight to dry clothes.
Why a crisis hits a country like Sri Lanka hard
Sri Lanka has no oil or coal of its own, so every litre of petrol and every tonne of coal is imported and paid for in foreign currency. When world prices rise because of war or politics far away, fuel queues, power cuts and rising prices follow here. Using less energy, wasting less and developing the country's own renewable sources — sun, wind, water and biomass — make the country less exposed to such shocks.
Demand outruns supply
An energy crisis is a sharp rise in energy prices when demand exceeds supply; energy management plans production and use sustainably.