PRINCIPLES FOR ACHIEVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Energy efficiency is key in the plan to mitigate climate change and in most cases, it is the less expensive option when compared to changing energy generation plants to a less carbon intensive energy source and thus popular among developing economies of the world. The approaches to energy efficiency traditionally involve e xamining energy consumed at the point of component or device consuming the energy. The aim of this study is to present principles for developing countries' established sites and businesses that primarily rely on fossil fuels for its energy needs that will ensure energy efficiency is successfully achieved throughout the value chain for an operational site. This paper presents the traditional approaches of energy efficiency and shows how these approaches while achieving energy efficiency at the point of the energy demand where the energy consuming component or device is installed, it is quite inefficient in the wider picture of the energy value chain. From these observations, a set of principles are presented to achieve energy efficiency throughout the energy value chain maximizing financial benefit and reduction in carbon emissions. A third principle is presented to ensure that energy efficiency is sustainably achieved at an operational site through transitioning existing infrastructure to being energy efficient over a defined period of time and ensuring that new capacity adheres to energy efficiency in the future.