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Impact of 1973 Oil Embargo and 2005 Katrina on Energy Efficiency
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Date
2007-05
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Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu)
Abstract
The need for energy efficiency captured the
attention of all sectors of our society in 1973 when an
Oil Embargo was imposed by the oil producing and
exporting countries. Interest in energy efficiency
continued during the 1980s primarily due to
environmental concerns and secondarily because of
economic and industrial competitiveness issues.
Recent energy supply disruptions caused by
hurricanes Katrina and Rita have generated a
renewed interest in energy efficiency.
Oil Embargo of 1973 was termed as “energy
crisis” and “energy problem” in the industrialized
countries. However, the technocrats took it as a
challenge and as an opportunity. As a result of their
work, to-day our refrigerators are twice as efficient,
heating furnaces are one-third more efficient, cars are
one-half more efficient, and light bulbs are four times
as efficient.
Interest in energy efficiency during the
1980s by the U. S. Government and its outcome
became very handy when Katrina and Rita hit last
year. The Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) of
the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) had
developed several energy efficient programs such as
Best Practices Tools. Some of these tools are Air-
Master, Motor Master, Steam System Analysis Tool
(SSAT), Process Heating Analysis and Survey Tool
(PHAST), Pumping System Analysis Tool (PSAT),
Fans System Analysis Tool (FSAT) and the list goes
on. Not only that, DOE had trained some Qualified
Specialists to use these tools. As a result of these
available resources, Save Energy Now (SEN) was the
response from the DOE to the impacts of Katrina and
Rita. Two Hundred Energy Saving Assessments
(ESAs) were conducted for the most energy intensive
manufacturers. This paper describes some details of
the experiences and impacts of some of these ESAs.
Some case studies are discussed in this paper.
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Keywords
Energy Efficiency Measures Since 1980's, Energy Saving Assessments (ESAs)