Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 3
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Engineering
Class: SHS 3
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 16
Grade code: 3.2.3.LI.4
Strand code: 2
Sub-strand code: 3
Content standard code: 3.2.3.CS.1
Indicator code: 3.2.3.LI.4
Theme: ENERGY SYSTEMS
Subtheme: ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION
This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.
For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.
This lesson introduces the critical concepts of energy efficiency and conservation, focusing on practical applications for managing energy consumption in our homes and communities. In Ghana, where we often face challenges with stable power supply ("dumsor") and rising electricity costs from the ECG, learning how to use energy wisely is not just an academic exercise—it is an essential life skill. We will move beyond simply talking about saving energy to actively designing and understanding the electronic systems that can do it automatically.
This section breaks down the core ideas you need to understand to design and build energy management systems. A. Energy Efficiency vs. Energy Conservation
These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. Energy Conservation: This is about reducing energy consumption through behaviour change. It's the act of using less energy. Example: Switching off the lights when you leave a room. Unplugging your phone charger when not in use. Choosing to walk for short distances instead of taking a "trotro". Think of it as: *Doing without* or *using less*. Energy Efficiency: This is about using less energy to perform the same task. It involves using technology that is designed to waste less energy. Example: Replacing an old incandescent bulb (which produces a lot of heat) with a modern LED bulb. An LED bulb gives the same amount of light (lumens) but uses far less electricity (watts). Think of it as: *Doing the same with less*.
Both are crucial for managing our national grid and our personal finances. This lesson focuses on creating systems that help us achieve both automatically. B. What is an Energy Management System?
An Energy Management System (EMS) is a system of computer-aided tools and electronic devices used to monitor, control, and optimise the performance of energy-consuming equipment. For our purposes, we will focus on simple, automated electronic circuits that control a single appliance.