Kabul Medical University

MPH Program

Environmental Health Module

Energy

By: Dr. Wazhma Hakimi

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 WHAT IS ENERGY?

Energy is the basic and essential part of universe and important part of our daily lives which
makes change; it does things for us. It lights our homes and cities, warms and cools our homes,
cooks our food, and keeps ice frozen in the freezer. It plays our music, and gives us pictures on
television. It powers our vehicles, trains, planes, rockets, other machinery in factories and
tractors on a farm; it moves cars along the road and boats over the water. Everything we do is
connected to energy in one form or another. Each one of us uses energy in some form or the
other all day long, throughout the year.

Generally Energy is defined as the ability or the capacity to do or accomplish work and/or cause
a change in matter..

Energy uses and Conservation

Uses of energy:
The purpose of producing energy is to meet three type of societal needs:

 Mechanical work(electrical equipment)

 Heating supply
 Heat removal(cooling systems)

Four major/primary energy-consuming sectors are:

 Industrial sector
 Commercial Sector
 Residential Sector
 Transportation Sector

In developing countries, industry uses most of the energy. Worldwide, the distribution is
approximately:

40% industry, 20% transportation, 40% residential/commercial

Note that individuals in industrialized countries have direct control over about 1/3 of the energy
used. Choices made by individuals, such as the type of auto driven, the use of solar energy in
the home, etc., play a major part in how efficiently energy is used.

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Energy Conservation
What is energy conservation?

Energy conservation means making an effort to reduce the consumption of natural energy
sources like electricity, water and so on. Or in other words, Energy Conservation is efficiently
reducing the amount of power required to carry out operations, or Energy Conservation
includes any behavior that results in the use of less energy. Energy Conservation focuses on
the behavior of people. For example, using day lighting through windows rather than turning on
the lights, or turning the lights off when you leave the room and recycling aluminum cans are
both ways of conserving energy. Conserving energy means decreasing the amount of energy
used while achieving similar outcome of end use. Using less energy has lots of benefits you can
save money and help the environment. Using less energy help us to preserve these resources and
make them last longer in future.

Importance of Energy Conservation

Most people do not realize the importance of conserving energy so they do not make efforts to
do it. They do not know how easy it is or what an impact they can make on the environment by
following simple conservation tips. If each person around the world tried to save energy, it
would make earth a cleaner place with a healthier environment.

Conserving/saving energy helps the globe and saves money, because energy prices are rising
every year (higher costs) and consuming energy Changes in the earth’s climate (Climate
Change) causing an increase in temperature known as “Global Warming”. We depend on
energy for almost everything in our lives. We wish to make our lives comfortable, productive
and enjoyable. Hence even if the outside temperature rises a little, we immediately switch on
the air conditioner to keep our house cool. This is again using up of energy. Unfortunately, what
we do not realize is that we have starting taking things for granted and we have started wasting
energy unnecessarily. Most of us forget that energy is available in abundance but it is limited
and hence to maintain the quality of life, it is important that we use our energy resources wisely.

If we do not conserve energy, the energy will exhaust and we will have nothing to use. Also,
energy conservation is also important when it comes to climate change. Currently, erratic
climates and climatic changes are the greatest threats that we are facing today. Hence it is
important to conserve energy.

December 14th is celebrated as World Energy Conservation day, so let us discuss some ways by
which we can conserve energy and find out why energy conservation is so important.

It has been emphasized that large amounts of energy are wasted and no attention is paid for their
environmental public health impacts. One of its contributing factors is low prices for various
types of fuels. For these reasons, efforts should be made to encourage conservation. Whenever
you save energy, you not only save money, you also reduce the demand for such fossil fuels as
coal, oil, and natural gas. By exercising even a few of the following steps, you can cut your

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annual emissions by thousands of pounds and your energy bills by a significant amount! Steps
that should be taken within each of the major consuming sectors are discussed below:

Energy use and conservation in Industrial Sector: This includes facilities and equipment used
for manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and construction. More energy is consumed for industry
and manufacturing than for any other purpose. In this sector energy is used to provide heat and
power for manufacturing. Petroleum is the most used fuel in this sector. Industry accounts for
about one-third of the energy used in the country. There are many different uses and a variety of
different energy sources in the industrial sector. Energy sources can be used as boiler fuel, which
is used to generate steam or hot water. Another use is as process heating, which is used to raise
the temperature of products in the manufacturing process; examples are separating components
of crude oil in petroleum refining, drying paint in automobile manufacturing, and cooking
packaged foods.
Energy requirements should reduce in all types of industries, especially in chemical industry,
because the chemical industry consumes more electricity. There are multiple ways to reduce
electricity consumption; one of the most important is the increasing use of cogeneration plants
that is plants in which the waste heat from one operation is used as input into another stage in the
process.

ENERGY USE and conservation IN COMMERCIAL Sector in commercial buildings:

Commercial buildings include a wide variety of building types—offices, hospitals, schools,

police stations, places of worship, warehouses, hotels, colleges, stores, restaurants, dormitories,
banks. barber shops, libraries, shopping malls.

The major portion of energy is consumed in this sector for lighting in office buildings.

Electricity and natural gas are the most common energy sources used in commercial buildings.

To conserve energy in this sector, it is important to install energy-efficient lights, make better use
of daylight, and turning off lights while leaving a room. Compact fluorescent units consume only
25% as much electricity as incandescent bulbs and can last 12 times as long. Although their
initial price is higher, the total cost of the lighting provided over the long term is far less.
Providing artificial light such as the development of solid-state lights can reduce global
electricity consumption by 10% or more.

Another major consumer of energy in the commercial sector is the use of electricity to operate
electronic equipment such as personal computers (PCs), printers, copiers, facsimile machines and
ACs. The combined load of this equipment makes 10-12% of the total electricity required for an
office. To conserve energy of such usage, computers, printers and other desktop devices should
be turned off at the end of every workday.

When the monitors automatically shift into a standby made after a period of inactivity. This

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saves energy and reduces thermal stresses and improves the reliability of the electronic
components within such units.

IN SCHOOL: always switch off lights and fans while going out of the class. In computer lab, we
should switch off the computers before going out of the class.

Energy use and conservation IN residential sector/in HOMES:

This includes homes and apartments. In homes energy is used by different appliances and
electronics such as clothes washer and dryer, computer, dishwasher, air conditioning
equipment and televisions. In apartments, natural gas, oil and electricity are used for space
heating. Keeping our homes comfortable uses a lot of energy. Our ovens, freezers, and homes
can be kept at any temperature we choose, a luxury that wasn't possible 100 years ago. Energy is
consumed in homes for heating, water heating, cooling rooms, refrigeration, lighting and
appliances.

Home is an important place in which energy should be conserved. Energy usage through heating
and air conditioning can be significantly reduced by weather-stripping doors and caulking
windows. Another step is to set thermostat at the lowest comfortable setting in winter and the
highest comfortable setting in summer. Cooling costs can also be reduced by installing a more
efficient air-conditioning unit. Residents should use more efficient lighting systems to save, such
as using compact fluorescent units instead of incandescent light bulbs. Residents should also use
energy-efficient home appliances. For example, a cloth washer in a typical home, consumes
almost 13.000 gallons of water each year, which are known as the highest consumers of water
within a home. So using more efficient unit saves water during the wash cycle as well as extracts
the water that remains in the clothes after the final rinse more effectively. This will reduce the
amount of energy required to dry them.

The second highest consumption of water in the home is that for the flushing of toilets. So to
reduce the consumption of water low-flush and/or pressure flush units should be used.

We should not keep light, TV and fan unnecessarily switched on. Be careful not to overheat or
overcool rooms. Set your clothes washer to the warm or cold water setting, not hot. Select the
most energy-efficient models when you replace your old appliances. Look for the Energy Star
Label - your assurance that the product saves energy and prevents pollution. Turn your
refrigerator down. Refrigerators account for about 20% of Household electricity use. Use a
thermometer to set your refrigerator temperature as close to 37 degrees and your freezer as close
to 3 degrees as possible. Make sure that its energy saver switch is turned on. Also, check the
gaskets around your refrigerator/freezer doors to make sure they are clean and sealed tightly.
Buy energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, they save money and lasting 8-12 times longer.
Use less hot water by installing low-flow shower heads. Weatherize your home or apartment,
using caulk and weather stripping to plug air leaks around doors and windows. Modernize your
windows. Plant shade trees and paint your house a light color if you live in a warm climate or a

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dark color if you live in a cold climate. These actions can save many pounds of CO2 per year.
Replacing or repairing leaky faucets help in saving lot of water.

ENERGY STAR is a national program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
U.S. Department of Energy. The program includes a system that rates furnaces, water heaters,
major appliances, and electronics such as televisions and computers based on energy savings and
carbon emissions. ENERGY STAR’S website (www.energystar.gov) includes the ratings as well
as suggestions for energy efficient home improvements and buying an energy efficient new
home. Look for the label when making purchases.

Transportation Sector:

This includes vehicles that transport people or goods which use energy. Cars, trucks, buses,
motorcycle, trains, aircraft, boats, barges, and ships are included in the transportation sector.
Petroleum is the main source of energy for transportation. The petroleum fuels used for
transportation include gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, residual fuel oil, and liquid petroleum gases.

In this sector a major part of consumption of energy is in the form of fuel for automobiles and is
increasing rapidly. This increasing and automobile emissions lead to air pollution. Another
contributing factor is the installation of multiple energy-consuming accessories in motor
vehicles, including, air-conditioning units, radios and CD players.

To use energy efficiently in this sector, same legislation and standards are passed and automobile
manufacturers are exploring a variety of possibilities for additional improvements such as weight
reduction and engine refinements and combination of a gasoline engine and electric motor in
hybrid cars having outstanding fuel economy.

Another approach is using navigation systems that enable drivers to determine exactly where
they are and to select the best route to reach their destination, saving both fuel and time.

In public areas: Street light consume a lot of energy, we can use the streetlights according to
sunset and sunrise to save power, and installing solar powered street light is another major option
available to save electricity. Whenever possible, walk, bike, car pool, or use mass transit. Every
gallon of gasoline you save avoids 22 pounds of CO2 emissions. Slow down. The faster you
drive, the more gasoline your car uses.

You can find more about the ways to conserve energy through the following citation:
ECOMALL. 20 Things you can do to Conserve Energy. [Online]
Available:http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/20things.htmhttp://www.ecomall.com/greens
hopping/20things.htm.

- See more at: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/151-ways-to-save-energy.php#sthash.ynVK8eJC.dpuf

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 Energy Resource
The fuels which are used to meet the world’s energy needs are classified into two categories:

1- Nonrenewable sources, such as fossil and nuclear

2- Renewable sources, such as solar and geothermal energy.

Nonrenewable energy sources/ Conventional sources of energy: Energy from the ground or is
energy which is taken from the sources that are available on the earth in limited quantity and will
vanish fifty-sixty years from now that include Coal, petroleum/oil; natural gas, propane, and
uranium (nuclear) are nonrenewable energy sources. These energy sources are called
nonrenewable because they can only be used once and has limited supplies. They cannot be
replenished, or made again in a short period of time. They take millions of years to form through
natural process. Petroleum, for example, was formed millions of years ago from the remains of
ancient sea plants and animals. We can’t make more petroleum in a short time. Most of our
energy comes from nonrenewable energy sources. They are used to make electricity, to heat our
homes, to move our cars, and to manufacture all kinds of products. Oil, natural gas and coal are
called “fossil fuels” because they have been formed from the organic remains of prehistoric
plants and animals. Non-renewable sources are not environmental friendly and can have serious
effect on our health. Coal, petroleum and natural gas and propane are also known as fossil fuels.

Renewable energy sources/ Non- conventional sources of energy: Energy which is generated
from natural sources or comes from a source that is constantly renewed which includes biomass
from plants/ Agricultural waste, geothermal energy, hydropower/hydro energy, wind energy,
tidal/ Forestry waste energy and solar energy. They are available in plenty and by far most the
cleanest sources of energy available on this planet. They are called renewable energy sources
because they will not run out (end/expire/finish) and can be used over again and because they
can be replenished naturally in a short period of time. Because of this we do not have to worry
about them running out. Day after day, the sun shines, the wind blows, and the rivers flow. We
use renewable energy sources mainly to make electricity. Currently, about 20% of the world’s
electricity comes from renewable resources. These sources have not been traditionally used as
Energy source. However, these sources will always be available in nature and are renewable.
Hence it is best to use non-conventional sources.

Fossil fuels:

The most common forms of fossil fuels which are used today are coal, oil, and natural gas.
Estimates of the worldwide resources for each of these are as follow:

Coal: It can meet the needs of the world for 2-4 centuries.

Oil/Petroleum: It can meet the needs of the world for 3-5 decades. And if there are
undiscovered reserves, it will be sufficient for more than 150 years.

Natural gas: It can meet the needs of the world for five or more decades. And if there are
suppliers yet to be discovered could be sufficient for 200 years.

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Nuclear fuels:

Nuclear fuel is a nonrenewable energy source. This energy is available from uranium sources.
With the development of breeder reactors and the recycling of plutonium, nuclear fuels could
become a much longer energy source than any of the fossil fuels.

Geothermal energy:

Geothermal energy is often difficult to tap and is limited to certain geographic areas, most of
which are remote from population and industry; however it is available in enormous quantities.

Geothermal energy is the natural heat extracted from the earth's crust or which comes from the
heat stored in the Earth`s core, about 4,000 miles/ 1,609 kilometers below the surface, and heat
from the sun warming the Earth. The word geothermal originates from the Greek words geo
(earth) and thermal (heat). The ground is a good insulator and stores the heat as energy. Pipes are
run through a large area several feet underground. Water is heated as it passes through these
pipes. Geothermal power is generated in more than 20 countries such as, US, Sweden, Romania
and Japan. While it currently makes up less than 1% of the world`s energy. People have used
geothermal power for thousands of years. Geothermal water was used for medicinal purposes,
from bathing in hot springs to treating skin ailments. It was also used for cooking for centuries.
In the last 50 years, people have improved the techniques and technology used to harness
geothermal power for electricity and heating. Today geothermal energy is used to heat buildings,
grow corps in greenhouses, melt snow on sidewalks, pasteurize milk, wash wool, aid aquaculture
such as breeding fish, spin a turbine to generate electricity and is used in hot springs to relieve
sore muscles. In some cold climates, geothermal water is routed under sidewalks and roads to
keep them from icing up in the winter.

Solar energy:

Every day the earth receives an amount of solar energy equal to 30 years of world fossil fuel
energy use. The energy utilized from sun light is called solar energy. Sunlight is the most
abundant energy source on the earth. On average, the earth's surface receives about 1.2 x 1017 W
of solar power.

Hydropower: Hydropower is one of the most common sources of solar energy.

Tidal power: Tidal power is the energy from the sources which are represented due to crashing of
waves upon beaches and the rise and fall of the ocean tides. This energy is converted into
electricity through specific systems.

Wind power: Wind power is the most rapidly expanding energy source in the world and its
harnessing is in considerable progress, because it could reduce the costs of producing electricity
dramatically and today its cost is one-quarter of electricity generated by natural gas. The cost of
wind power is steady, but the costs of gas and oil can fluctuate. The world’s largest wind form is

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in Iowa. Germany, Denmark, and Spain now obtain more than 20% of their electricity via wind
power. Europe now has more than three-quarters of the world’s wind electricity-generating
capacity. Wind energy is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as
using wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power, wind pumps for
pumping water.

Solar cells: In the less developed countries, the sun is used for heating and distilling water and
for drying crops.

Biomass:

Biomass in the form of firewood is used as fuel throughout the world. Biomass in the form of
agricultural crops is converted into various types of fuel. These include the production of ethanol
from sugarcane, and methanol from wood materials and the generation of methane through
anaerobic digestion of animal and plant wastes

Environmental Impacts
From different uses of energy, using energy to generate electricity is of more concern, because
of environmental impacts of electricity generating power plants. So, here the environmental
and public health negative impacts of the primary methods of generating electricity namely,
hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, fossil-fueled power plants, and nuclear-power plants,
will be discussed:

Hydroelectric power/water power/Hydroelectricity

In addition to the generation of electricity, hydroelectric dams irrigate the lands on which food
is produced and makes the lands inhabitable. They protect plains from periodic flooding and
permit the construction of cities. Other advantages are:

 Once a dam is constructed, electricity can be produced at a constant rate.

 If electricity is not needed, dams constructed can also shut their gates, stopping
electricity generation and conserve the water for use when power is in higher demand.
The water can be saved for use another time when electricity demand is high.
 Dams are designed to last many decades and so can contribute to the generation of
electricity for many years / decades.
 The lake that forms behind the dam can be used for water sports and leisure / pleasure
activities. Often large dams become tourist attractions in their own right.

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  When in use, electricity produced by dam systems do not produce greenhouse gases.
They do not pollute the atmosphere
 Hydroelectricity does not "use" water, all of the water is returned to its source of origin.
 It is also another absolutely clean source of energy. The power plants, once in place, do
not create any waste byproducts in their conversion.

Despite these benefits, there has been seen many unforeseen results. For examples, after the
construction of some dams, the rivers could not flood their banks anymore, so due to lack of
discharge of nutrients the fertility of the farming areas declined and it could not provide food
for the fish anymore and therefore the fishing industry was destroyed. They also affect the
habitats of wild life; covering many acres of rich farmland, lead to the displacement of people
who had lived in the areas that were flooded. It also made the soil less usable for agriculture
through bringing dissolved salts from ground up into the topsoil.

Water quality was also affected, because when the flow rate in the river was controlled, the risk
of growing algae and phytoplankton increased. The quiescence also increases the risk of
growing snails and therefore the incidence of schistosomiasis.

Many other large hydroelectric projects have had the same impacts which affect the habitats of
wildlife. The sudden failure of a dam also has considerable consequences which may lead to
deaths. Other disadvantages are:

 Dams/hydroelectric plants are extremely expensive to build and must be built to a very
high standard.
 The high cost of dam construction means that they must operate for many decades to
become profitable.
 The creation of dams can also create flooding of large areas, which means natural
environment and the natural habitat of animals, and even people, may be destroyed.
People living in villages and towns that are in the valley to be flooded, must move out.
This means that they lose their farms and businesses. In some countries, people are
forcibly removed so that hydro-power schemes can go ahead.
 The building of large dams can cause serious geological damage. For example, the
building of the Hoover Dam in the USA triggered a number of earth quakes and has
depressed the earth’s surface at its location.
 Although modern planning and design of dams is good, in the past old dams have been
known to be breached (the dam gives under the weight of water in the lake). This has
led to deaths and flooding.

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  Dams built blocking the progress of a river in one country usually means that the water
supply from the same river in the following country is out of their control. This can lead
to serious problems between neighbouring countries.
 Building a large dam alters the natural water table level. For example, the building of the
Aswan Dam in Egypt has altered the level of the water table. This is slowly leading to
damage of many of its ancient monuments as salts and destructive minerals are
deposited in the stone work from ‘rising damp’ caused by the changing water table
level.

Disadvantages of hydroelectric power

 Emission of methane and carbon dioxide: The reservoir of water for hydroelectric power
releases a large amount of carbon dioxide and methane. The area around the dam is
filled with water. The plants and trees in them start rotting and decompose by other
method without the use of oxygen. So this type of decomposition dumps a great
amount of methane and carbon dioxide which increase pollution.
 Disturbance of habitat: The formation of large and huge dams destroys the living beings
around them. Local life is disturbed as human can’t live in such a flooded area and
plants are destroyed. People living nearby have to relocate.
 Installation costs: Although the effective cost is zero but the manufacturing and building
a dam and installation of the turbines is very costly due to which many countries do not
employ this alternative source of energy. If the initial cost had been less; then it would
have used more commonly. Its construction requires a lot of human capital and labor.
Its maintenance is also very costly.
 Limited use: As the hydroelectric power is produced by the water which depend on the
yearly rain falls so only those areas can use this method which receives a good amount
of rainfall water because this method needs a huge reservoir of water.
 Effects on agriculture: Making dams on rivers affect the amount, quality and
temperature of water that flow in streams which has drastic effects on agriculture and
drinking water.
 Fish killing: The water while flowing through the dam collects nitrogen which can
damage and also kills fish. They can also damage the reproduction of fishes thus
eliminating the whole species of fishes
 Disputes between people: Changing the river pathway and shortage of water can cause
serious disputes between people.
 Breaking of dams: Many dams which were built for industrial use or for mills are not
now used and occupying a great space but they can’t be broken or removed as it would
cause serious flooding. This would not only affect the humans but also many buildings
and property.
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Geothermal energy:

Energy created from geothermal power is safe, clean, simple, and reliable and environment
friendly as it is extracted from deep within the earth’s surface. But despite these advantages,
geothermal energy is not being used widely. Responsible for volcanoes and earthquakes

One of its environmental impacts is subsidence which occurs due to withdrawal of water. This
water contains high level of minerals, and when it spills; it leads to salination of the soil and
water pollution.

The water can also convert into steam by the use of heat from nearby rocks, which induces
seismicity and releases radon and volatile gases such as hydrogen sulfide that can cause
significant problems.

Other Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy are:

1. Not Widespread Source of Energy: Since this type of energy is not widely used therefore the
unavailability of equipment, staff, infrastructure, and training pose hindrance to the installation
of geothermal plants across the globe. Not enough skilled manpower and availability of suitable
build location pose serious problem in adopting geothermal energy globally.

2. High Installation Costs: To get geothermal energy, requires installation of power plants, to
get steam from deep within the earth and this require huge one time investment and require to
hire a certified installer and skilled staff needs to be recruited and relocated to plant location.
Moreover, electricity towers, stations need to set up to move the power from geothermal plant
to consumer.

5. May Release Harmful Gases/Geothermal sites may contain some poisonous gases and they
can escape deep within the earth, through the holes drilled by the constructors.

6. Geothermal Energy cannot be easily transported. Once the tapped energy is extracted, it can
be only used in the surrounding areas. Also, there is a fear of toxic substances getting released
into the atmosphere.

Nuclear and Fossil Fuels:

Power plants of this type causes thermal pollution and can release various gases, particulates,
and liquid wastes into the atmosphere. The environment and public health impacts of these
plants are divided into five stages:

1. Fuel acquisition
2. Fuel transportation
3. Power-plant releases

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 4. Processing and disposal of spent fuel or ashes
5. Power transmission

Fuel acquisition:

Coal strip-mining: During this method the air is polluted with dust, and the surface at the
ground is defaced and the land cannot be reused.

Strip mining destroys landscapes, forests and wildlife habitats at the site of the mine when
trees, plants, and topsoil are cleared from the mining area. This in turn leads to soil erosion and
destruction of agricultural land. When rain washes the loosened top soil into streams,
sediments pollute waterways. This can hurt fish and smother plant life downstream, and cause
disfiguration of river channels and streams, which leads to flooding. There is an increased risk of
chemical contamination of ground water when minerals in upturned earth seep into the water
table, and watersheds are destroyed when disfigured land loses the water it once held. Strip
mining causes dust and noise pollution when top soil is disrupted with heavy machinery and
coal dust is created in mines.

Underground-mining of coal: During this method sulfuric acid and iron salts drain or seep from
the mine which is called (acid mine drainage). Acid mine drainage, a metal-containing water
that is formed by the chemical reaction between water and rocks containing sulphur-bearing
minerals, can pollute water around a coal mine with heavy metals like copper, lead and
mercury. Methods coal companies can use to minimize water pollution include building
specialized water treatment plants and recycling contaminated water. Acid mine drainage is
created when water mixes with coal and other rocks unearthed during mining, taking on toxic
levels of minerals and heavy metals. This toxic water leaks out of abandoned mines to
contaminate groundwater, streams, soil, plants, animals and humans. As a result an orange
colour can blanket the river, estuary or sea bed killing plants and making surface water
unusable as drinking water. Sources of acid mine drainage can remain active for decades or
centuries after a mine closes.

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When these materials flow into surface streams, they are toxic to most forms of aquatic life.
Miners are also affected to many occupational health problems, due to this procedure. The
mining of coal also results in accidental deaths and black lung disease and other respiratory
diseases among coal miners.

Other Impacts of underground mining:

In room-and-pillar mines, columns of coal are left to support the ground above during the initial
mining process, then they are often taken out and the mine is left to collapse, which is known
as subsidence. Underground mining causes huge amounts of waste earth and rock to be
brought to the surface – waste that often becomes toxic when it comes into contact with air
and water. It causes subsidence as mines collapse and the land above it starts to sink. This
causes serious damage to buildings. It lowers the water table, changing the flow of
groundwater and streams. Only a small percentage of this is used by industry or local towns –
the rest is wasted. What’s worse is that removing so much water creates a kind of funnel that
drains water from an area much larger than the immediate coal-mining environment.

The coal mining destroys wide areas of land and results in ecological imbalance.

Mining also produces methane gas, which has a much greater global warming potential than
carbon dioxide. Coal mine methane, less prevalent in the atmosphere than CO2, but 20 times as
powerful as a greenhouse gas, forms during the geological formation of coal, and is released
during the coal mining process. Most coal mine methane come from underground mines. In
China, which mines more than 95 percent of its coal underground, about 300 of the state-
owned mines are classified as methane-outburst prone.

Worldwide emissions are expected to increase by 20 percent in the next 12 years.

Underground-mining of uranium: One of its effects on health is lung cancer, which affects
miners and finally results in their deaths. Subsequent processing of uranium is releases radon to
the environment.

There have been several epidemiological studies that say there is an increased risk of various
diseases, especially cancers(leukemia)among people who live near nuclear facilities.

Nuclear power reactor accidents can result in a variety of radioisotopes being released into the
environment. The health impact of each radioisotope depends on an variety of factors. Iodine-
131 is potentially an important source of morbidity in accidental discharges because of its
prevalence and because it settles on the ground. When iodine-131 is released, it can be inhaled
or consumed after it enters the food chain, primarily through contaminated fruits, vegetables,
milk, and groundwater

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Uranium workers are routinely exposed to low levels of radon decay products and gamma
radiation which may increase the risk of leukemia and other hematological cancers.

Drilling for oil: It has environmental impacts both on land and offshore. Leaks from offshore
drilling operations can contaminate the marine environment. Subsequent refining of the oil
produces airborne wastes.
Refining petroleum creates air pollution. Transforming crude oil into petrochemicals releases
toxins into the atmosphere that are dangerous for human and ecosystem health.

Burning gasoline releases CO2. Although oil doesn’t produce the same amount of CO2 that coal
burning does, it still contributes greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and increases global
warming.

Oil spills cause great environmental damage. Large oil spills sometimes occur during drilling,
transport, and use, which of course affect the surrounding environment. But these spills aren’t
the only risk.

Fuel transportation:

A standard 1,000 MWe coal-fired power plant requires about 8,000 tons of fuel per day, which
can fill at least 100 railroad cars. It is estimated that during transporting this amount of fuel, 24
deaths and 25-40 injuries occur each year as a result of accidents.

During transporting oil primarily in oceangoing tankers, gallons of oil release and sink into the
bottom of the ocean and continue to leak out slowly and rise to the ocean’s surface which can
restrict fishing and can have impact on aquatic life.

Transporting natural gas through ocean also has the same problems. Natural gas is transported
as liquid, when it is transferred to storage tanks; the liquefied gas is allowed to regasify. During
this process, the volume of the gas increases.

An accident during unloading of a tanker can release millions of cubic meters of natural gas (in
expanded cloud form) that can cover a city. If the clouds are subsequently ignited widespread
death and destruction can result.

Transportation of uranium fuel to its power plant does not present any unusual occupational or
environmental health problems, because the original uranium fuel is sealed within fuel rods
and is not a significant radiation source.

Power-plant releases:

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Fossil-fueled plants release sulfur oxides (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NO), carbon monoxide (CO),
carbon dioxide and radioactive materials.

The major airborne pollutants released by coal-fired, oil-fired, and gas-fired(fossil-fueled

electric power plants) are: Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen oxide, Carbon monoxide and particulates.

It has been estimated that coal-fired plants release more SO2 and NO and particulate matters
than oil-fired and gas –fired plants.

These three kinds of plants release almost the same quantity of CO. The release of SO2 by coal-
fired, oil-fired and gas-fired plants is 43, 29 and 7 thousands of tons per year respectively. The
release of NO by coal-fired, oil-fired and gas-fired plants is 25, 11, and 7 thousands of tons per
year respectively. The release of particulates by coal-fired, oil-fired and gas-fired plants is 120,
0.6, and <0.1 thousands of tons per year respectively.

On this basis, an electricity generating plant fueled by natural gas has far less impact on the
environment than are fueled by either coal or oil.

However, coal-fired plants are known as the worst offenders, they produce more than half of
the nation’s electricity supply today.

In the U.S two types of nuclear-powered plants are used:

BWRs(boiling-water reactors) and PWRs(pressurized-water reactors)

They can release some gases into the atmosphere. Both release about equal amounts of carbon
14, Iodine 131, and Tritium, however, PWRs release more Krypten 85 and Xenon 133.

The most critical pollutant for coal-fired plant, oil and gas-fired plant and nuclear-powered
plants are particulates (PM), SO2 and Xenon 133 respectively.

Coal is a major source of air pollution. Nuclear plant is much safer in terms of airborne releases
than any other type, because the associated emissions for a nuclear-powered plant are small
and it is not associated with mining emissions and transportation issues, associated with coal-
and oil-fired electricity generating stations.

Finally, a comparison of the impacts of the different types of plant is made. The long-term
impacts of coal-mine dust kill several thousand miners in the U.S every year. And the air
pollution from coal-fired plants causes acid deposition, smog, visibility degradation, and global
warming, as well as increased cases of asthma, respiratory, and cardiovascular disease, and
mortality among the general population.

15
Nuclear-powered plants have the risk of serious accidents that might release large amounts of
radionuclides into the atmosphere.

When all these factors are taken into account, it appears that a nuclear-powered plant has far
less environmental impact than a plant fueled by oil or natural gas. All three types of plants
appear to be superior to a plant fueled with coal.

Processing and disposal of spent fuel or ashes:

Oil-and gas-fired plants have no spent-fuel disposed problems. They burn cleanly and produce
no ash. But in coal-fired plants, 12-25% of the fuel ends up as ash, which requires railroad cars
for the daily removal of ash and a suitable way and place. Since it contains many toxic
compounds, the place and the way in which this ash is disposed of is also important.

But this ash is carried on shores from which dumps are made and gets mixed with sea water.

Composition of Fly ash: It contains as main chemical components SiO2 (51.4 wt%), Al2O3 (22.1
wt%) and Fe2O3 (17.2 wt%; ignited weight basis). As commonly observed, many toxic elements
and heavy metals are highly enriched in the fly ash relative to the original coal. For example,
considerable amounts of Be (16.4 ppm), Cu (106 ppm), Zn (578 ppm), As (40.4 ppm), Cd (2.6
ppm), Hg (18 ppm), Pb (71 ppm), and U (21.8 ppm) is found in Fly ash.

Nuclear-powered plant also produces spent fuel which poses significant problems of radiation
protection and waste disposal. The volume of such wastes is relatively low, but if they are not
properly disposed, their risks are relatively high.

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Power transmission:

It has been estimated that a considerable percentage of the electricity generated, is lost during
transmission. The type of power plant do not affect the efficiency of the distribution of
electricity to the consumers, so efforts should be made to develop more efficient transmission
systems in which the power losses are less such as the use of super conducting cables installed
underground.

Also an underground system would eliminate much of the visible/aesthetic environmental

degradation caused by overhead lines.

Fossil Fuels Environmental Impacts

Fossil fuels are one of the greatest threats to the environment today. Their burning contributes
heavily to global warming, the pollution of the air, water and land, as well as the production of
acid rain.

When fossil fuels are burned huge amounts of carbon are released into the air. This contributes
to the greenhouse effect, causing the sun’s warmth to be excessively trapped in the
atmosphere. When this occurs, global temperatures rise. Melting of the polar ice caps causes
ocean levels to rise as well.

This reduces the salinity of the ocean, endangering many organisms that are dependent upon a
certain level of salt concentration to be able to live. It also poses a serious risk of many cities
and settlements located close to sea level entirely disappearing under water.

Other disadvantages of Fossil Fuels:

Environmental Hazards: Pollution is the major disadvantage that is formed due to fossil fuels.
When burnt they give out carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which is the main aspect of global
warming. Rise in temperature of earth have resulted in melting of polar ice caps, flooding of
low lying areas, rise in sea levels. If such conditions conquer the face of earth will face radical
changes.

Acid Rain: When burnt, sulphur dioxide gas is also produced which is the factor for acid rain.
Acid rain leads to destruction of monuments made up of brickwork or marbles, even crops are
affected due to acidification of loams. Coal mining results in destruction of abundant lands and
also endangers the lives of mineworkers. The natural gas causes nasty smells and also a lot of
problems with transportation. Transportation of crude oil causes oil spills over seas reasoning
to hazards to the aquatic life by lessening the oxygen content of water.

17
Human Health Getting Affected: The ozone layer is being worn-out due to the release of
greenhouse gases from the fuels. Hence, ozone holes are being created from which harmful UV
rays enter the earth surface that affect human life causing diseases like cancer. The melanin
present in the skin reacts with these high wave radiations. Skin cancer is the major form of
disease that is caused due to the reaction of infra-red rays and the pigment present in the skin.

Non-Renewable: As the fossil fuels are extracted to an unlimited level it is for sure that they will
deplete some day or the other. Since they are non-renewable it is likely that fuels expenses will
face a hike in near future

Need Huge Amount of Reserves: The coal power plants needs huge and regular supply of coal
to produce large amount of electricity on a constant basis. This means they need reserves of
coal almost train-loads of fuel near power stations to carry out the process of generating
electricity. This is required since today also many nations are dependent on coal as a major
source of producing power.

The environmental impact of oil is often negative because it is toxic to almost all forms of life.
The possibility of climate change exists. The impacts of oil are:

Toxicity: Petroleum distillates can create sheen on the surface of water as a thin layer creating
optical phenomena called interphase.

Crude oil is a mixture of many different kinds of organic compounds, many of which are highly
toxic and carcinogenic. Oil is "acutely lethal" to fish, that is it kills fish quickly. Crude oil and
petroleum distillates cause birth defects.

Benzene is present in both crude oil and gasoline and can cause leukemia in humans. The
compound is also known to lower the white blood cell count in humans, which would leave

18
people exposed to it more susceptible to infections. Hodgkin’s lymphoma, other blood and
immune system diseases will occur within 5-15 years of exposure.

Exhaust: When oil or petroleum distillates are burned, usually the combustion is not complete.
This means that incompletely burned compounds are created in addition to just water and
carbon dioxide. The other compounds are often toxic to life. Examples are carbon monoxide
and methanol. Also, fine particulates of soot blacken humans' and other animals' lungs and
cause heart problems or death. Soot is carcinogenic.

Acid rain:

High temperatures created by the combustion of petroleum causes nitrogen gas in the
surrounding air to oxidize, creating nitrous oxides. Nitrous oxides, along with sulfur dioxide
from the sulfur in the oil, combine with water in the atmosphere to create acid rain. Acid rain
causes many problems such as dead trees and acidified lakes with dead fish. Coral reefs in the
world's oceans are killed by acidic water caused by acid rain.

Acid rain leads to increased corrosion of machinery and structures (large amounts of capital),
and to the slow destruction of archaeological structures like the marble ruins in Rome and
Greece.

Climate change: Humans burning large amounts of petroleum create large amounts of CO2
(carbon dioxide) gas that traps heat in the earth's atmosphere. Also some organic compounds,
such as methane released from petroleum drilling or from the petroleum itself, trap heat
several times more efficiently than CO2.

Oil spills: An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment,
especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually
applied to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters, but spills may
also occur on land. Oil spills may be due to releases of crude oil from tankers, pipelines, railcars,
offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined petroleum products (such
as gasoline, diesel) and their by-products, heavier fuels used by large ships such as bunker fuel,
or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil. Spills may take weeks, months or even years to clean
up.

Waste oil:

Some examples of waste oil are used oils such as hydraulic oil, transmission oil, brake fluids,
motor oil, crankcase oil, gear box oil and synthetic oil. When waste oil from vehicles drips out
engines over streets and roads, the oil travels into the water table bringing with it such toxins

19
as benzene. This poisons both soil and drinking water. Runoff from storms carries waste oil into
rivers and oceans, poisoning them as well.

Environmental impacts of coal:

“Coal-fired power plants are the single largest stationary source of pollution in any country. The
toxins these coal fired power plants produce severely damage both human health and the
environment and contribute to a reduced quality of life”

Environmental impacts can occur through its mining, preparation, combustion, waste storage,
and transport.

Air pollution from coal mines is mainly due to emissions of particulate matter(PM) and gases
including methane (CH4), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx), as well as carbon
monoxide (CO), leading to smog, acid rain, toxins in the environment, and numerous
respiratory, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular effects.

Coal-fired power plants are responsible for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, making coal a huge
contributor to global warming. Severe and potentially deadly respiratory problems can be
caused by coal dust stirred up during the mining process, as well as released during coal
transport.

Global coal fire emissions are estimated to include 40 tons of mercury going into the
atmosphere annually, and three percent of the world's annual carbon dioxide emissions.

Coal sludge, also known as slurry, is the liquid coal waste generated by washing coal. Since coal
sludge contains toxins, leaks or spills can endanger underground and surface waters.

Forest destruction caused by mountaintop removal mining - According to a 2010 study,

mountaintop removal mining has destroyed 6.8% of Appalachia's forests.

Heavy metals and coal - Coal contains many heavy metals. Many of the heavy metals released
in the mining and burning of coal are environmentally and biologically toxic elements, such as
lead(which is nephrotoxic), mercury(causes Minamata syndrome, allergeic reactions, damages
brain and kidney), nickel, tin, cadmium, antimony, and arsenic, as well as the radioactive
elements, uranium and thorium.

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Minamata Syndrome

Mountaintop removal mining and other forms of surface mining can lead to the drastic
alteration of landscapes, destruction of habitat, damages to water supplies, and air pollution.

Particulates and coal - Particulate matter (PM) includes the tiny particles of fly ash and dust that
are expelled from coal-burning power plants. Studies have shown that exposure to particulate
matter is related to an increase of respiratory and cardiac mortality.

Land subsidence may occur after any type of underground mining.

Sulfur contributes to the production of acid rain and causes significant health problems.

Coal-fired power plants are responsible for one-third of America’s carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions—about the same amount as all transportation sources -- cars, SUVs, trucks, buses,
planes, ships, and trains -- combined.

Coal contains minor amounts of the radioactive elements, uranium and thorium. When coal is
burnt, the fly ash contains uranium and thorium "at up to 10 times their original levels.

Coal mining also has a number of adverse effects on the environment:

It releases of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas estimated to account for 18% of the
overall global warming effect triggered by human activities and CO2 which is estimated to
contribute 50%.

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It releases of carbon monoxide (CO) from explosives, which pollutes the air and poses a health
risk for mine workers.

water pollution, as sulfuric acid forms when coal is exposed to air and water, creating an acid
run-off with heavy metals such as copper, lead, and mercury that can leech into streams,
acidifying and polluting the water and killing fish, plants, and aquatic animals.[50] Seepage from
coal sludge can also infect local water supplies.

Common health threats posed by coal mining:

Pneumoconiosis, aka black lung disease or CWP, is caused when miners breathe in coal dust
and carbon, which harden the lungs. Estimates show that 1,200 people in the US still die from
black lung disease annually. The situation in developing countries is even worse.

Cardiopulmonary disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, lung disease,

and kidney disease have been found in higher-than-normal rates among residents who live near
coal mines, according to a 2001 US study.

Toxic levels of arsenic, fluorine, mercury, and selenium are emitted by coal fires, entering the
air and the food chain of those living nearby.

Mine collapses and accidents kill thousands of workers around the world every year.

Advantages of Nuclear Power

Nuclear power plants also produce no greenhouse gas emissions after they are up and running.
The running costs of nuclear plants are also very low due to the fact that a very small amount of
uranium produces a very large amount of energy. A single truck of uranium can produce as
much energy as 1000 trucks of coal. Nuclear wastes have been stored safely underground for
decades now. Nuclear energy reduces the dependence on foreign oil and natural gas.

Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy

Radioactive Waste: The waste produced by nuclear reactors needs to be disposed of at a safe
place since they are extremely hazardous and can leak radiations if not stored properly. Such
kind of waste emits radiations from tens to hundreds of years. The storage of radioactive waste
has been major bottleneck for the expansion of nuclear programs. The nuclear wastes contain
radio isotopes with long half-lives. This means that the radio isotopes stay in the atmosphere in
some form or the other. These reactive radicals make the sand or the water contaminated. It is
known as mixed waste. The mixed wastes cause hazardous chemical reactions and leads to
dangerous complications. The radioactive wastes are usually buried under sand and are known
as vitrification. But these wastes can be used to make nuclear weapons.

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Nuclear Accidents: While so many new technologies have been put in place to make sure that
such disaster don’t happen again like the ones Chernobyl or more recently Fukushima but the
risk associated with them are relatively high. Even small radiation leaks can cause devastating
effects. Some of the symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. People who
work at nuclear power plants and live near those areas are at high risk of facing nuclear
radiations, if it happens.

Nuclear Radiation: There are power reactors called breeders. They produce plutonium. It is an
element which is not found in the nature however it is a fissionable element. It is a by-product
of the chain reaction and is very harmful if introduced in the nature. It is primarily used to
produce nuclear weapons. Most likely, it is named as dirty bomb.

National Risk: Nuclear energy has given us the power to produce more weapons than to
produce things that can make the world a better place to live in. Security is a major concern
here. A little lax in security can prove to be lethal and brutal for humans and even for this
planet.

Impact on Aquatic Life: Eutrophication is another result of radioactive wastes. Reports say that
radioactive wastes take almost 10,000 years to get back to the original form.

Major Impact on Human Life: We all remember the disaster caused during the Second World
War after the nuclear bombs were dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even after five
decades of the mishap, children are born with defects. This is primarily because of the nuclear
effect.

The land many miles surrounding the plant would be uninhabitable for several decades. Besides
the obvious direct dangers, nuclear fuel also requires machinery to mine and transport which
ultimately means that nuclear power does produce some greenhouse gases. Nuclear power
plants are also very expensive to build.

Wind power/wind turbines:

Advantages:

Wind energy is another completely clean energy source on the basis of greenhouse gas
emission.

Here are some of the major disadvantages:

1. The wind does not always blow

2. The whirling blades can kill birds and bats and interfere with television reception in
nearby homes.

23
 3. It requires large land areas called WIND FORMS due to accompanying noise and the
aesthetics.
4. The wind mills interfere with marine fishing and navigation. The towers endanger
marine life and migrating birds.
5. During the night lights of wind mills warning lights interfere with the beauty of the area.
6. The towers(their height) can cause airplane accidents.
7. Noise Disturbances: Though wind energy is non-polluting, the turbines may create a lot
of noise. This alone is the reason that wind farms are not built near residential areas.
8. Threat to Wildlife: Due to large scale construction of wind turbines on remote location,
it could be a threat to wild life nearby.
9. Wind Can Never Be Predicted
10. Wind turbines are suited to the coastal regions which receive wind throughout the year
to generate power. So, countries that do not have any coastal or hilly areas may not be
able to take any advantage of wind power.

Advantages and disadvantages of Solar cells:

Solar power has obvious advantages. Every minute of every day the sun transfers to the earth
more energy than the entire world uses in a year. In fact, solar energy is a potential source of
unlimited, clean and free electricity. Solar energy is totally free, available widely, produces no
pollution, no emission, no noise and no carbon footprint and reduces energy expenditure.

Disadvantages of solar power/solar energy are:

Converting sunlight into electricity requires high cost. To solve this problem some systems have
been developed, such as, solar panels (dye-sensitized) solar cells and solar collector systems
which are less expensive. These and other improvements have led to a major increase in the
use of solar power. More than 200.000 homes in the U.S now derive some or all of their power
from solar cells and this can increase dramatically in the very near future.

Initial Cost: The initial cost of purchasing and installing solar panels always become the first
disadvantage. Although subsidy programs, tax initiatives and rebate incentives are given by
government to promote the use of solar panels we are still way behind in making full and
efficient use of solar energy. As new technologies emerge, the cost of solar panels is likely to
decrease and then we can see an increase in the use of solar cells to generate electricity.

Location: Areas which remains mostly cloudy and foggy will produce electricity but at a reduced
rate and may require more panels to generate enough electricity for your home. Houses which

24
are covered by trees, landscapes or other buildings may not be suitable enough to produce
solar power.

Pollution: Most of the photovoltaic panels are made up of silicon and other toxic metals like
mercury, lead and cadmium. Pollution in the environment can also degrade the quality and
efficiency of photovoltaic cells. New innovative technologies can overcome the worst of these
effects.

Installation area: For home users, a solar energy installation may not require huge space but for
big companies, a large area is required for the system to be efficient in providing a source of
electricity

The environmental impact of natural gas

Natural gas is a relatively clean-burning fuel source — it produces approximately half the CO2
emissions that coal burning produces — so demand for natural gas has increased in the last few
decades as concerns grow about carbon emissions and global warming. The global warming
emissions from its combustion are much lower than those from coal or oil because natural gas
emits 50 to 60 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) and emits 15 to 20 percent less heat-trapping
gases. A major plus of natural gas is that it can be efficiently and safely stored.

Drilling and extraction of natural gas from wells and its transportation in pipelines, results in the
leakage of methane, which is more potent global warming gas than (CO2).

Air pollution: Natural gas creates greenhouse gas emissions. The combustion of natural gas
produces negligible amounts of sulfur, mercury, and particulates. Burning natural gas does
produce nitrogen oxides, which are precursors to smog. These pollutants have been linked with
problems such as asthma, bronchitis, lung cancer, and heart disease. It can affect local and
regional air quality. Some areas where drilling occurs have experienced increases in
concentrations of hazardous air pollutants Exposure to elevated levels of these air pollutants
can lead to adverse health outcomes, including respiratory symptoms, cardiovascular disease,
and cancer.

Water Pollution: Water can be contaminated by radioactive materials, methane, and other
underground gases and volatile organic compounds.

Natural gas is highly volatile and can be dangerous if handled or transported carelessly. True
natural gas is colorless, ordorless, and tasteless, which makes its leak detection very difficult.
Luckily, gas companies add the sulfuric like odor that accompanies natural gas in our homes.

To release the gas from the rocks and capture it for use as fuel, companies use a method of
hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Fracking for natural gas requires injecting a liquid mix of

25
chemicals, sand, and water into the gas-bearing rock at super high pressures — high enough to
crack open the rock, releasing trapped gases. The gas is then pumped out of the rock along with
the contaminated water. The sand and chemicals are left behind in the rock fractures, leading
to groundwater pollution and potentially less stable bedrock and can lead to earthquakes.

Energy in Afghanistan
Hydroelectric plants were built between the 1950s and the mid-1970s, which included the
Sarbobi hydroelectric power plant in Kabul Province, the Naghlu in the eastern Nangarhar
Province, the Kajaki in Helmand Province and a number of others. Other hydroelectric facilities
that were operational as of 2002 included plants at Puli Khumri, Darunta in Nangarhar Province,
Dahla in Kandahar Province, and one in Mazar-i-Sharif. Also in operation was the Breshna-Kot
Dam in Nangarhar, which had a generating capacity of 11.5 MW. Construction of two more
power stations, with a combined capacity of 600 kW, was planned in Charikar City.

Afghanistan generates around 600 megawatts (MW) of electricity mainly from hydropower
followed by a fossil fuel and solar. As of 2012, approximately 36% of the total Afghan
population has access to 24-hour electricity but in the capital Kabul the number is 70%.

Energy in Afghanistan is primarily provided by hydropower. Afghanistan is reported to have coal

reserves totaling 100-400 million tons. Afghanistan has more than 11 coal reserves. Natural gas
was Afghanistan's only economically significant export in 1995, going mainly to Uzbekistan via
pipelines.

Geothermal Energy in Afghanistan: The technology currently exists to provide low-cost

electricity from Afghanistan’s geothermal resources, which are located in the main axis areas of
the Hindu Kush.

Wind Energy: At least one wind farm was successfully completed in Panjshir Province in 2008,
which has the potential to produce 100 kW of energy. Installing wind turbine farms in Herat
could provide electricity to much of western Afghanistan.

Hydroelectricity: Hydroelectric plants were built between the 1950s and the mid-1970s, which
included the Sarbobi hydroelectric power plant in Kabul Province. The Naghlu in the eastern
Nangarhar Province, the Kajaki in Helmand Province and a number of others

Also in operation was the Breshna-Kot Dam in Nangarhar, which had a generating capacity of
11.5 MW.

26
Solar Energy In Afghanistan: In 1991, a new 72-collector solar installation was completed in
Kabul at a cost of $364 million. The installation heated 40,000 liters of water to an average
temperature of 60°C around the clock. The use of solar power is becoming wide spread in
Afghanistan. Solar powered street lights are seen in several Afghan cities and towns, including
the capital Kabul.

What to Do?
Embracing an energy efficient lifestyle today will help you get a better life tomorrow. So let us
slow down the demand for energy and give a better future for our coming generation.

Solutions on how to conserve energy

1. Behavior Change
2. Reduce the amount of waste we produce
3. Change our energy usage behavior to conserve more energy
4. cycling, and taking public transportation are effective energy saving ideas
5. Improve our technology to improve energy efficiency

Energy Efficiency is the use of technology that requires less energy to perform the same
function. An LED light bulb that uses less energy than an incandescent bulb to produce the
same amount of light is an example of energy efficiency. However, the decision to replace an
incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent is an act of energy conservation

Efficiency vs. Conservation: Energy efficiency involves the use of technology that requires less
energy to perform the same function, focuses on the equipment or machinery being used. One
example is installing LED light bulbs throughout the house

By Observing and Implementing The Following Four Tips You Can Minimized The Energy Use
In You Homes And Daily Lives

1. Minimize energy use

2. Use energy efficiently
3. Minimize energy loss
4. Get Everyone Involved
 Effective awareness's about how to conserve energy should be broadcasted and
provided to public via TV ads, publishes, internet and educational institutions in order to
increase their awareness about the issue.

27
  The Government must design and implement an electricity consumption system that
can be applicable for electrical devices within homes of offices, energy star in US.
 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Part of an effective conservation program
 Identify those areas that use the most energy
 Make a plan, set some goals
 Involve the whole family
 Choose energy-efficient home appliances, which have been designed with energy
conservation in mind.
 Choose natural gas furnaces, water heaters, stoves, and clothes dryers. Natural gas is
significantly more efficient than electricity derived from fossil fuel sources, for heating
purposes.
 An efficient way to use electricity for heating is with a heat pump.
 Try to use natural ventilation and only use your heater when temperatures drop below
20°C(68°F), and try to only use cooling devices when temperatures get above
26°C(78°F).

Get Everyone Involved

 Increase everyone's understanding of the benefits of energy efficiency

 Make the link between actions and behavior by individuals and potential savings
 Motivate users to modify behavior
 Share the goal of reducing energy consumption and saving money

There is a need that efforts should be made, to shift to hydrogen as a primary energy source,
because the use of hydrogen as a source of energy, for example, in fuel cells, could reduce the
release of harmful contaminants into the environment.

Less burning of fossil fuels also means lower emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary
contributor to global warming, and other pollutants.

Commercial buildings also use another source that you don’t usually find used in residential
buildings — district energy. When there are many buildings close together, like on a college
campus or in a big city, it is sometimes more efficient to have a central heating and cooling plant
that distributes steam, hot water, or chilled water to all of the different buildings. This type of
system (referred to as a district system) can reduce equipment and maintenance costs as well as
save energy.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle

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Reduce the amount of waste you produce by buying minimally packaged goods, choosing
reusable products over disposable ones, and recycling. For every pound of waste you eliminate
or recycle, you save energy and reduce emissions of CO2 by at least 1 pound. Cutting down your
garbage by half of one large trash bag per week saves at least 1100 pounds of CO2 per year.

Using technological advances, the industry has been successful in recovering the methane and
preventing it from being released into the atmosphere. According to the International Energy
Agency, replacing older coal-fired power plants with more efficient plants could significantly
reduce the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Coal mining, particularly surface mining, can disturb land that is used for grazing, animal
habitats, forests, crops and more. But the coal-mining industry makes rehabilitating land once
mining is complete a top priority. After mining is complete, companies reshape the area, replace
top soil and replant vegetation, making the reclaimed land suitable for wildlife, agriculture and
more.

The coal industry is using new technology to reduce the impact of the burning and mining of
coal on the environment. One of the most well known “clean coal technologies” is carbon
capture and sequestration (CCS), which involves securing the carbon dioxide created by coal,
converting it to a liquid-like state and then storing it permanently underground.

The FutureGen project, for example, includes plans for a near-zero-emissions coal plant in
Illinois that will use coal gasification technology to generate electricity while capturing harmful
CO2 emissions.

Scientists predict that the world must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80% in
order to avoid serious complications from global climate change. CCS technology is an
important part of meeting that goal. Coal is a huge supplier of power, but it is also a huge
producer of CO2. Underground storage capacity is more than enough to take on coal’s carbon
emissions.

Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (a process of turning coal into gas, then removing
impurities from and combusting the gas) and Pressurized Fluidized Bed Combustion (which
produces a high-pressure gas stream as well as steam that can power a turbine) are also
promising technological advances in the quest for “clean” coal.

Already great strides should be made to ensure that oil and gas producers make as little impact as
possible on the natural environments in which they operate. This includes drilling multiple wells
from a single location or pad to minimize damages to the surface, employing environmentally
sound chemicals to stimulate well production, and ensuring a seamless transition from the
wellhead to the consumer.

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Reducing the Environmental Impact of Fossil Fuel Consumption

Substantial work will be required to address the impact of oil and gas consumption, notably the
emission of carbon dioxide as a major byproduct. Among the proposed solutions to this problem
is the sequestration, or storage, of carbon dioxide in old oil and gas fields. Storage of carbon
dioxide from power plants and other industrial facilities would require collecting and processing
the gas, compressing it to high pressures, and then injecting it into the small spaces between rock
grains deep below the surface. Here, the key challenge is capturing and storing the CO2
emissions on a sustainable scale in a reliable and cheap manner

still it’s a high time to look forward for the alternative renewable sources of energy such as wind
turbines, solar panels, tidal generators and compost. As said by a great man, there is enough for
everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed.

Energy conservation

Energy conservation and efficiency are both energy reduction techniques.

Even though energy conservation reduces energy services, it can result in increased
environmental quality, national security, personal financial security and higher savings. It is at
the top of the sustainable energy hierarchy.[citation needed] It also lowers energy costs by
preventing future resource depletion.

Energy taxes

Some countries employ energy or carbon taxes to motivate energy users to reduce their
consumption. Meanwhile, taxes on all energy consumption stand to reduce energy use across the
board, while reducing a broader array of environmental consequences arising from energy
production

Building Design

One of the primary ways to improve energy conservation in buildings is to use an energy audit.
An energy audit is an inspection and analysis of energy use and flows for energy conservation in
a building, process or system to reduce the amount of energy input into the system without
negatively affecting the output. This is normally accomplished by trained professionals and can
be part of some of the national programs discussed above. In addition, recent development of
smartphone apps enable homeowners to complete relatively sophisticated energy audits
themselves.

Building technologies and smart meters can allow energy users, business and residential, to see
graphically the impact their energy use can have in their workplace or homes. Advanced real-
time energy metering is able to help people save energy by their actions.

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In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, and
distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer. This
is called passive solar design or climatic design because, unlike active solar heating systems, it
doesn't involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices.

The key to designing a passive solar building is to best take advantage of the local climate.
Elements to be considered include window placement and glazing type, thermal insulation,
thermal mass, and shading. Passive solar design techniques can be applied most easily to new
buildings, but existing buildings can be retrofitted.

Consumer products

Consumers are often poorly informed of the savings of energy efficient products. A prominent
example of this is the energy savings that can be made by replacing incandescent light bulbs with
more modern alternatives. When purchasing light bulbs, many consumers opt for cheap
incandescent bulbs, failing to take into account their higher energy costs and lower lifespans
when compared to modern compact fluorescent and LED bulbs. Although these energy-efficient
alternatives have a higher upfront cost, their long lifespan and low energy use can save
consumers a considerable amount of money. The price of LEDs has also been steadily
decreasing in the past five years, due to improvement of the semiconductor technology. Many
LED bulbs on the market qualify for utility rebates that further reduce the price of purchase to
the consumer. Estimates by The U.S. Department of Energy state that widespread adoption of
LED lighting over the next 20 years could result in about $265 billion worth of savings in United
States energy costs.]

The research one must put into conserving energy is often too time consuming and costly for the
average consumer, when there are cheaper products and technology available using today's fossil
fuels. Some governments and NGOs are attempting to reduce this complexity with Eco labels
that make differences in energy efficiency easy to research while shopping.

To provide the kind of information and support people need to invest money, time and effort in
energy conservation, it is important to understand and link to people's topical concerns. For
instance, some retailers argue that bright lighting stimulates purchasing. However, health studies
have demonstrated that headache, stress, blood pressure, fatigue and worker error all generally
increase with the common over-illumination present in many workplace and retail settings. It has
been shown that natural day lighting increases productivity levels of workers, while reducing
energy consumption.

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