Energy efficiency

The letter from Sui Southern Gas Co under the above caption (B/R, 28/1/06) is indeed wonderful news for all energy professionals since the gas company has come out solidly in favour of conserving natural gas.
SSGC's confirmation that the approval for new gas connection is only given to those industrial (and commercial) users opting for integrated cogeneration should really help remove the present trend to somehow get gas sanctioned, and then worry about efficiency.
Efforts should be made to educate the industrialists, since conservation of our precious gas resources must be understood at all levels. We just do not have the gas to waste and the earlier this fact sinks in, the better for the country's economy.
Another trend to watch out for, is to "mis-declare" the cogeneration system design to get an approval of a gas sanction and then continue with the inefficient operation. Gas companies instal two gas meters, one for power generation and the other for industrial consumption like steam, hot water, etc. It should be easily possible to confirm cogeneration operation efficiency if the second gas meter has very low consumption.
Normally, in most industries, the gas meters for steam/hot water boilers have make up a major part of consumption, which really shows how poor the cogeneration efficiency is. We can certainly do without such wasteful cogeneration power plants in which the major gas continues to be consumed in boilers.
Since SSGC is following the latest ECC's directive, it is worth checking how a large Government Complex has been allowed major gas use for most inefficient power generation when this building had been originally sanctioned gas, specifically for cogeneration.
Also, a new bank building has been sanctioned gas for most inefficient power generation. Is the new gas policy really working? At the end, it is heartening to note that the SSGC is fully committed to a "greener" Pakistan but shouldn't the good role start first at "home"?
The SSGC Head Office Building is perhaps the worst example of how "energy inefficient" a building can be! It would be in the interest of efficiency, if the SSGC worked towards the "greening" of their own building first.
It is also hoped that the SNGPL, like the SSGC would also openly confirm the enforcement of gas conservation policies as per ECC's directive.
If both the SSGC and SNGPL follow the correct gas management policy, considerable gas will be saved when the effect of this policy starts bringing results in the next few years. In the short term, it is unfortunate that hundreds of millions of dollars, invested in-inefficient power generation technologies, have taken us "backwards" as we will continue to waste enormous gas till these systems are changed! But at least, a beginning can be, and must be made now, so that no further wastage of precious gas is allowed.
Conservation, whether of energy resources or water or our life style, is the only answer.