Useless waste and necessary waste 1.4 Law of energy conservation (3)
Furthermore, the Energy Conservation & Recycling Business Promotion Act was enacted in 1993. It was decided by the Cabinet in January 1994 to achieve maximum reductions of 7%, 25%, and 3% (average) in power consumption by fluorescent lamps, televisions, and copiers respectively by the end of fiscal 2000, which have a high penetration rate and a large energy-saving effect. Recently, a device for energy saving promotion of power demand (DSM = demand side management) has been attracting attention as a countermeasure for slowdown of costly power source development. Regarding the energy saving of transportation energy demand, TDM (transportation demand management) has been proposed mainly in the United States.
Also, the use of unused energy as one of the effective methods for energy saving is emphasized as an energy policy. Until now, the waste heat from city life, river water that uses the temperature difference from the atmosphere, and the heat at sewage treatment has not been used. However, these kinds of energy can be effectively used. The preventive energy saving that incorporates energy conservation into the social system can reduce carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. It also helps promote environmental conservation. The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy has launched the Energy Infrastructure Maintenance Office. Then, the examination of the measures to introduce the unused energy utilization system has started.
At present, by reusing unused heat energy released to the atmosphere, nitrogen oxides can be reduced by 60-80% in comparison with using existing cooling and heating systems. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the increase in domestic carbon dioxide by 2010 by about 10%. This has the effect of promoting conservation of the global environment. A substantial investment of 24 trillion yen is required for infrastructure development by 2010 toward commercialization of waste heat utilization system.