Visakhapatnam: The demand for energy is expected to rise at an average of 0.9 per cent per annum in India, if population continues to grow in the next two decades. Scientists warned that through 2040, economic growth which is directly dependent on rise of population, will drive the demand for energy higher and higher.
B.T.V. Seshavataram, director, Heramec Limited, who presented a paper in Andhra University during a national seminar, said natural gas will fast grow as a substitute for coal and will be as important as oil in the energy sector.
“The demand for natural gas will rise by about 60-70 pc in the near future. The demand for coal will peak by 2025 and then decline sharply with a shift towards less carbon intensive energy,” he stated.
India imports approximately 75 pc of its crude requirements and 30 pc of natural gas needs. The number of new reserve discoveries of oil/gas producing blocks is very little. Scientists in ONGC predict that the country will be the biggest consumer of crude oil by 2035.
The demand for global energy will be around 30-40 pc higher by 2040 in Organisation for Econo-mic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, compared to 2010 and will further go up to 60 pc in later years.
Use of renewable energies and nuclear power would also grow significantly, as demand for coal would increase gradually.
Growth will be particularly conspicuous in China, Africa, India and Latin America.
