Perception of Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z About Consumption And
Conservation Of Non-Renewable Energy: A Comparative Study
Project synopsis submitted
to
MANIPAL ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
For Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the
Award of the Degree
of
Bachelor of Technology
in
Information Technology
by
Ritwik Amod
Reg. No.170911156
Under the guidance of
Under the Guidance of:
Mr. Nithesh Naik
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal
Feb 2021
1
Introduction
Non-renewable energy as it is classified , is a form of energy which comes from
sources that cannot be renewed or replenished in a feasible amount of time. The
rate of depletion of these resources is so high that replenishment is unable to
keep up with demand s of current energy needs . Organic material, such as plant
and animal remains that existed millions of years ago, decay, degen erate to form
almost all of the non-renewable resources th at exist in this globe. As the
materials were formed over millions of years ago, millions of years are needed
for the replenishment of them . This concludes to provide a very harsh truth that
all non-renewable forms of energy which are currentl y in use, wil l get depleted
with time.
There are many obstacles that come in the way of development. Most of the
obstacles mainl y include adoption, improper execution and ethnic, religious
conflicts. although some of them have helped us understand extremel y critical
issues that go hand in hand with development . It took us a lot of time along with
many critical crises to understand that development just for the sake of it is
deteriorating the ecological and social balance of our ecosystem. From the second
half of the 19th century, Western societies began to discover that their economic
and industrial activities had a significant impact on the environment and the
social balance. Several ecological and social crises took place in the world and
rose awareness that a more sustainable model was needed. As a direct result of
this now, the newer generations have a greater sense and responsibilit y for
sustainable development which emphasizes development without compromising
the abilit y of future generations to meet the ir own needs. This has led to the
growing popularit y of so -called renewable forms of energy. A research should
not be accompanied even to a small extent by assumptions . This raises a question
about sustainable development .
Does economic development and hu man capital reduce non -renewable energy
consumption? Some may argue that such developments may in turn increase the
dependance of human race on non -renewable forms of energy. Others tend to the
belief that technological advancements are needed to overcome the energy crisis
and climate change. The most efficient way would be to balance technological
developments with sustainabilit y. If more and more research went into
sustainable technological developments that help counter the climate change and
other ecological problems like increase in pollution levels and energy
consumption rather than development just for the sake of development,
alternative more effective solutions would come to light. Like the production of
commercial electric cars that aims to nullify the air pollution caused by
transportation alongside offering better performance and range, many
engineering solutions are yet to emerge that offer technologies that are cleaner,
better and less detrimental to the atmosphere .
Since the development of several renewable forms of energy it is the first time
that 5 generations have been functioning side by side in modern societ y, namel y,
Gen Z right on the heels of Gen Y, Gen X, Baby Boomers and Traditionals. The
views of these groups vary significantl y depend ing on individual experiences and
their beliefs on different affairs . It would be very fascinating to see how Gen X,
Gen Y, and Gen Z view energy use and conservation , especially non-renewable,
as compared to renewable.
2
Problem Definition
Multiple generations of people reside in this world at a given point in time .
Modern societ y has divided generations according to age and year of birth . Three
main key classes (most recent born) include:
•
Gen X - born between 1965 and 1979/80 .
•
Gen Y - born between 1981 and 1994/6 (Millennials).
•
Gen Z - born between 1997 and 2012/15 .
Attempting to understand the perceptions of individuals can be challenging a t
best let alone condensing the views of generations into one, which is backbreaking. This paper attempts to understand the difference in perceptions of
different generations on non -renewable energy sources and contrast these views
from views of same on renewable energy sources. It mainl y focuses on
consumption and conservation of non -renewable energy and the changes in
patterns of usage and concerns regarding sustainabilit y.
3
Objective
The main objectives of the project include:
•
To assess the awareness of Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z on PCRA, BEE,
Energy Star label.
•
To assess the knowledge and perception of Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z on
energy saving in transportation, household electrical appliances and gas
consumption.
•
To find the attitude of Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z towards energy and
environment.
•
To examine the level of motivation and obstacles of Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen
Z to follow the energy saving ways.
•
To measure the level of Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z attitudes towards energy
saving on transportation, household electrical appliances and gas
consumption.
•
To find out the behavior of Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z towards energy -saving
ways on transportation, household electrical appliances and LPG gas
consumption.
4
Scope
All nature’s phenomenon involves energy or conversion of energy from one form
to other. Just as ecosystems depend on energy , human societies are also
dependent on energy for infrastructure, transportation, food, and most other t ypes
of human activities. With the growth of humankind, the demand of energy is
growing at a rapid rate, which in turn has led to energy sources deplet ing at an
ever-growing rate. With the growing concerns of depletion of fossil fuels and
other non-renewable forms of energy, this paper attempts to enlighten the societ y
with perceptions of individuals of different classes to give an overall idea on
global energy crisis. The scope of this research can be classified into three broad
categories:
•
Social
Important insights related to energy conservation will help increase awareness
and spread information and can even encourage modifications of fuel
regulation and laws.
•
Health
Insights on harmful affects of burning non -renewable fuels can motivate the
development of cleaner, more efficient fuels and improved fuel regulations
for better air qualit y.
•
Industrial
The overall idea of non -renewable energy conservation and consumption will
help markets of all sectors to improve the qualit y of fuels used, ranging from
CNG/Petroleum in automobile sector to use of LPGs in cooking . The
condensed perception of different generations will help manufacturers gain
an idea on the everchanging markets and shifts in energy demands.
5
Literature Survey
•
•
•
•
6
The Future of Nuclear Power: Value Orientations and Risk Perception .
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539 -6924.2008.01155
The survey of economic growth, energy consumption and carbon emission.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2019.07.006
Energy Ratio anal ysis and accounting for renewable and non -renewable
electricit y generation: A review.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.09.034
Renewable and non-renewable energy consumption -growth nexus:
Evidence from a panel error correction model.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2011.04.007 .
Methodology
The project is carried o ut according to the following flow :
•
Research
[1] Search and allocation on pre -existing literature journals .
[2] Devise a conceptual framework.
[3] Study t ype aspects of the conceptual system.
[4] Prepare a Questionnaire for survey.
•
Data Collection
[1] Collect all papers to link the t ype aspects.
[2] Build hypothesis.
[3] Collect a sample data via Google Form s and other methods.
[4] Collect finalized data which can give well -informed insights.
•
Analysis
[1] Recollection of collected data.
[2] Interrelating the recollected data.
[3] Integrating information for well-informed insights.
7
Timeline
•
February 2021
[1] Searching research papers and articles loosel y connected with the
problem statement .
[2] Collection of sample data and articles.
[3] Presentation to the project review committee.
•
March 2021
[1] Designing survey questionnaire.
[2] Creation of conceptual framework.
•
April 2021
[1] Data collection.
[2] Data anal ysis .
[3] Preparing the final report.
•
May 2021
[1] Presentation of the research to the committee.
[2] Documentation.
References
[1] A Descriptive Study on Attitude of Gener ation Z towards Green Behavi or.
Shwetha G Y, Assistant Professor, DON BOSCO School of Manage ment,
Bangalore, India
[2] How Clean Energy R&D Policy Can Help Meet Decarbonization Goals .
https://www.f orbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2019/02/28/how -cleanenergy-rd-policy-can-help-meet-decarbonization -goals/?sh=4641ab382229
[3] Consumption and Use of Non -Renewable Mineral and Energy Raw Materials
from an Economic Geology Point of View . Volker Steinbach and FriedrichW. Wellmer.
[4] Boomers,
Gen
X,
Gen
Y,
and
Gen
https://www.kasasa.com/articles/generations/gen -x-gen-y-gen-z
Z.
[5] Do economic development and human capital decrease non -renewable
energy consumption? Rafael Alvarado, iushi Deng, Brayan Tillaguango,
Priscila Méndez, Diana Bravo, José Chamba, María Alvarado -Lopez, Muni r
Ahmad.
[6] Renewable and non-renewable energy consumption -growth nexus: Evidence
from a panel error correction model. Nicholas Apergis, James E. Payne .
[7] Perceived critical factors affecting consumers’ intention to purchase
renewable generation technologies: Rural -urban heterogeneit y. Gul Jabeen,
Munir Ahmad, Qingyu Zhang .
[8] The survey of economic growth, energy consum ption and carbon emission.
Rida Waheed, Sahar Sarwar, Chen Wei.