DOMESTIC ENERGY REVIEW 1

Domestic Energy
Review
Assignment 1
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Semester 5
DOMESTIC ENERGY REVIEW 2
Results of energy audit

Unit Quantity Energy per
unit (kJ)
Energy (kJ) Cost per unit
(LKR)
Cost (LKR)
Electricity kWh 200 3600 720000 19.63 3926
LPG kg 9.375 46100 432188 191.68 1797
Diesel l 100 35860 3586000 121 12100
Petrol l 6 32180 193080 170 1020
Food
Rice kg 20 5.442 109 65 1300
Bread kg 6 11.092 67 60 360
Potatoes kg 3 3.600 11 125 375
Dhal kg 4 4.634 19 150 600
Chicken kg 4 9.167 37 380 1520
Fish kg 3 8.623 26 800 2400
Dried fish kg 1 12.139 12 450 450
Wheat flour kg 3 15.236 46 100 300
String hopper flour kg 3 15.320 46 90 270
Milk powder kg 2 20.762 42 965 1930
Malt drink kg 3 16.827 50 688 2064
Vegetables kg 10 1.256 13 200 2000
Sugar kg 4 16.199 65 100 400
Fruits kg 15 3.349 50 150 2250
Yogurt kg 2 0.670 1 30 60
Biscuits kg 2 14.650 29 400 800
oil kg 1.35 32.482 44 280 378
Butter kg 0.25 30.012 8 1280 320
Food kg 86.6 673 17777

Total 4931940 36620


DOMESTIC ENERGY REVIEW 3
Analysis and Comments
Fuel Analysis

By looking at the
chart the energy is
obtained via 4
fuels. Diesel fulfils
major energy
requirements
while electricity
and LPG is
required for
domestic
purposes.
By comparison
Diesel has the
minimum cost per
1 unit of energy.
So it would be
better if diesel can
be used in place of
other fuels. Good proposition would be to replace petrol fuel requirements with diesel, but as
petrol was required for a motorbike, it is not possible to use as a substitute as there is no diesel
motorbikes available in the market.
Also as diesel is used for transportation purposes, using public transportation will lead to huge
cost reductions and energy efficiencies in diesel consumption. Also the maintenance of vehicles
and driving habits plays a significant role in diesel efficiency.
Electricity, 2
nd
major power source has a significant cost component which 50% above its usage.
Thus efficient electrical and electronic devices will improve cost efficiency in the long run, giving
positive net present values even when the capital costs increases with the efficiency.
Further wastage of electricity can be reduced via good practises, for an instances turning off
unnecessary lights. Using LPG cooker in place of microwave oven, electric oven and electric
kettle will reduce overall energy costs.
Another solution would be to look in to other sources of power other than main electricity
grids. Solar and wind energy are suitable, but solar energy is preferred as even domestic wind
mills produce significant noises. An investment in solar panels would be significant, and pay
back may even take more than a decade. The best way to invest in such a solution would be to
choose long term debt capital, as savings from solar energy can be used to pay the instalments.
Further as it is a clean energy source, the carbon foot print of the house can also be reduced
14%
9%
73%
4%
21%
10%
64%
5%
FUEL ANALYSIS
COST ON OUTER RI M VS
ENERGY ON I NNER RI M
Electricity
LPG
Diesel
Petrol
DOMESTIC ENERGY REVIEW 4
apart from long term cost savings.

In place of LPG, biomass can be used, which is plentiful and economical. But cooking on LPG is
preferred over biomass over convenience.
Food Analysis
The main component of a
typical meal, such as rice,
bread, wheat flour, string
hopper flour has high mass
percentage providing major
part of energy for a meal
while being very cost
effective. Also sugar,
biscuits, oil and butter show
has relative cheapness. But
substances like dhal,
chicken, fish, vegetables,
fruits, yogurt has high
relative costs per 1 kg of
mass.

The major reason behind this cost energy relationship is that foods of carbohydrate and fat
sources tend to be cheap and has high energy. Although food of protein has high energy level
per unit mass, its also expensive as its protein. Foods with minor nutrients such as minerals
and vitamins has lower energy content but tend to be far more expensive than others.
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Food analysis
Energy per unit (kJ) Cost per 1kJ
Food costs on outer rim, energy on middle rim
and mass on inner rim
Rice
Bread
Potatoes
Dhal
Chicken
Fish
Dried fish
Wheat flour
String hopper flour
Milk powder
Malt drink
Vegetables
DOMESTIC ENERGY REVIEW 5
Therefore it is simply not possible to take cheap but with high calorific value, because then
consumers will not gain other nutrients. Thus when decisions over food has to be taken
considering nutrients also. Therefore in this respect the costs depends on quality of life and life
style itself.