Critics in Energy Conservation

Critics and advocates of some forms of energy conservation make the following arguments:

It may be difficult for home owners or small business to justify investment in some energy saving measures. Condensing boilers are very much more efficient than older types. Energy savings are achieved by venting less heat externally and heating water for showers etc, as it is used. Refrigeration is also a major factor of energy consumption, electronic Energy saving modules (ESM) can be added to existing HVAC and refrigeration systems at little cost to conserve electricity.
For transportation the same financial payback versus energy savings argument can be made. For example, new hybrid vehicles have a better miles per gallon rating than an equivalent conventional vehicle, but they have a higher initial cost due to the greater costs of manufacturing the vehicle. The higher costs of maintenance, insurance, and depreciation can outweigh the savings on fuel and tax credits (depending on the particular vehicle, and extent of the tax credit). The hybrid car may give 45 mpg, saving the average driver 278 gallons of fuel per year. The hybrid engine cost $3000 extra, so with gasoline at $2.50 per gallon, it pays for itself in 4.3 years, and saves over 1000 gallons of gasoline from being used. The resale value of a fuel-efficient vehicle may be higher than a conventional gas-powered vehicle.
Some retailers argue that bright lighting stimulates purchasing. Health studies have demonstrated that headache, stress (medicine), blood pressure, fatigue and worker error all generally increase with the common over-illumination present in many workplace and retail settings (Davis, 2001), (Bain, 1997). It has been shown that natural daylighting increases productivity levels of workers, while reducing energy consumption.[11] Consumers are also motivated by a number of factors, and corporate stewardship may provide an incentive for shoppers to visit stores who conserve energy. Lower overhead costs may allow retailers to lower prices, stimulating consumption.

Energy Conservation

Energy conservation is decreasing the quantity of energy used while achieving a similar outcome use. This practice may result in increase of financial capital, environmental value, national security, personal security, and human comfort. Individuals and organizations that are direct consumers of energy may want to conserve energy in order to reduce energy costs and promote economic, political and environmental sustainability. Industrial and commercial users may want to increase efficiency and thus maximize profit.

On a larger scale, energy conservation is an important element of energy policy. In general, energy conservation reduces the energy consumption and energy demand per capita, and thus offsets the growth in energy supply needed to keep up with population growth. This reduces the rise in energy costs, and can reduce the need for new power plants, and energy imports. The reduced energy demand can provide more flexibility in choosing the most preferred methods of energy production.

By reducing emissions, energy conservation is an important part of lessening climate change. Energy conservation facilitates the replacement of non-renewable resources with renewable energy. Energy conservation is often the most economical solution to energy shortages, and is a more environmentally benign alternative to increased energy production.