Today energy and environment are two areas that have sought the greatest attention at the international level. Textile manufacturing is traditionally a highly energy-intensive industry and has lowest efficiency in energy utilization. The global energy crises as well as rising energy costs have deeply affected the textile and clothing product pricing; therefore, the need of energy conservation. In addition, there are issues of water conservation, since large energy is consumed in heating of water and drying of the textile materials and has assumed overriding consequence for warding off the impact of global warming.
Energy Consumption in Textile Mills
About 35% of energy is consumed in spinning, 20% in weaving, 40 % in chemical processing and another 5% for auxiliary operations. The conservation in the textile industry can be implemented both through process and machinery modifications and implementation of newer methods and technological advancement Energy saving means not only saving of money but also the environment.
In general, energy in the textile industry is mostly used in the forms of: electricity, as a common power source for running the machinery, cooling and temperature control systems, lighting, office equipment, etc.; and fossil fuels, wood, rice husk etc. as a fuel for boilers which generate steam for heating purpose.
Between 1980 and 2006, the worldwide annual growth rate for fuel demands was 2%, fossil fuels supplying 86% of the world's energy, with this growth rate the world-wide energy consumption is predicted to be twice as high in the year 2040 compared to today.
Despite the overall increase in energy demand, per capita energy consumption in India is still very low compared to other developing countries. With industrial development, economic prosperity and rising population, the energy demand in India can rise exponentially.
The major consumption of electrical energy in the textile industry is in the manufacture of yam and cloth, amounting to nearly 75% to 80% of the total power requirement in a textile mill, whereas wet processing consumes 15 to 20% of electrical power. Whereas, power dominates consumption pattern in spinning/weaving, while thermal energy, requiring use of fuel, is major for chemical processing, for heating and drying of the water used.
Major water end uses in the textile industry may include: dyeing, washing/rinsing, scoring and bleaching. Fuel consumption in textile mills is almost directly proportional to amount of water consumed, hence the importance of reducing the use of water to save energy. Remember, the cost of water is not just the cost of its withdrawal, but has multiplier effect for its storage, distribution, heating, treating and discharging.
Issues for using Alternative Energy Researchers have shown that Indian textile industrial sector can save 25% of the total energy consumed through energy conservation means.
Energy efficiency usually refers to a reduction in the energy usage, not essentially linked to technical changes, but can be done with better mill management, using energy efficient processes or improved productivity. Basically, the issues to be addressed when considering the steps to be taken for energy saving are the environmental impact, competitiveness and social concerns.
Amongst the different alternative renewable resources of energy, i.e. biomass, geothermal energy, tidal energy, wind energy and solar energy, the source of solar energy is abundant and is inexhaustible, in fact, fossil fuel, viz. coal, oil, and natural gas owe to their origin to these energy sources.
Indian geographical location favours unlimited and uninterrupted trapping of solar energy and it is the desirable energy available in the environment. In 2006, about 18% of global final energy consumption came from renewable. Today, India has one of the highest potentials for the effective use of renewable energy.
Presently, installing and using renewable energy sources are generally more expensive than traditional fossil-fuel types of generation that raise the unit costs of the generation. Therefore, Government policy to subsidise the renewable is obligatory to protect the impact on environment and dreaded consequences of Global warming for the survival of humanity.
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