Abstract

Industrial production is not possible without energy. Due to the abundance of low-cost energy in the past, the rate of social progress among industrial societies has not been limited by energy availability. Energy cost has not been significant when compared with no energy use. However, mechanization of agriculture, increased use of electrical appliances in the domestic sector and rapid industrialization to meet the demand of exponentially growing population have resulted in an energy crisis. The problem has been made worse with raised fossil fuel prices and the environmental factors playing the dominant role in implementation of large scale projects, such as hydro, thermal and nuclear. In this context, an integrated energy plan for a country seems essential for ecologically sound development of a region.