Sebanti Roy Chowdhury

The need for embracing energy efficiency in India According to Power Minister R. K. Singh, India will triple its energy consumption over the next decade. The aim is to provide electricity to every household. He hopes that India will shift to an electricity-based economy from a fossil-fuel driven one, using electric energy to drive vehicles and cook food. But he also assured that the economic development will not jeopardize environment protection. Singh said that to ensure minimal carbon footprint despite increased consumption, India focuses on renewable energy sources and embracing energy efficiency. India has progressed towards reducing energy wastage through energy-saving bulbs, appliances, and buildings. The housing sector accounts for about 35% of India’s energy consumption. Therefore, housing offers considerable scope to increase energy savings by improving residential energy efficiency. The journey so far A recent survey covering about 15,000 households and 21 states shows that India has come far in its energy efficiency journey. India’s LED bulb market soared through the government’s UJALA scheme, replacing incandescent bulbs with LED ones. It also reduced India’s annual carbon emission by about 82 million tonnes.   The Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s (BEE) energy-efficiency labelling program strives to boost efficient appliances’ use without compromising service quality. Over 75% of air-conditioners, 60% of refrigerators are star-labelled and efficient. Moreover, almost 90% of households use LED lamps and tubes. The initiatives and energy management services of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture by the government and public sector undertakings, have saved over 58 billion energy units.  The roadblocks The country is lagging in the adoption of energy-saving ceiling fans and televisions. Only 3% of the homes that use fans have efficient ones. Less than 5% of ceiling fans produced have star ratings. Besides, the high prices of energy-saving fans are another barrier to the widespread use of these appliances. Furthermore, desert coolers do not feature energy-rating labels. But 15% of households use these devices. Moreover, only a fourth of Indian families know about BEE’s star labels. The residents in small towns and rural regions remain mostly unaware. Also, gadgets such as induction cooking stoves and water pumps present a remarkable potential to gain further residential energy efficiency. The road to the future It is essential to make energy-saving appliances affordable and readily available to every Indian. Also, rigorous campaigns are a must to increase mass awareness about energy efficiency’s importance. Finally, real-time monitoring of energy consumption is crucial to measure actual energy savings. When the consumers see the monetary benefits, they will be more open to embracing the technology. The power minister mentioned that the government has set up over 10 lakh smart meters. This smart meter network will improve consumer rights compliance. He also launched a mobile app. It will help in tracking the progress of EESL’s energy management services and programs. Such measures can increase consumers’ confidence. It can lead to India’s successful transition towards efficient energy use.   Conclusion Cutting energy expenditure, saving electricity bills, and reducing greenhouse gases in the environment is crucial for sustainable development. An energy-efficient lifestyle is an inexpensive and fast route to achieving this goal. https://www.powermag.com/india-expects-to-double-power-consumption/ https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/power/india-to-be-electricity-based-economy-eventually-says-r-k-singh/- https://www.eqmagpro.com/indias-potential-for-energy-efficiency-immense-power-minister-r-k-singh/ https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/embracing-energy-efficiency/article-.ece https://aspirantworld.in/editorial-analysis-embracing-energy-efficiency/ https://www.jatinverma.org/embracing-energy-efficiency https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/energy-speak/how-india-is-leading-the-energy-efficiency-revolution/2423 https://www.livemint.com/Industry/kL9e147NMJe25RQHLzVlXM/Indias-potential-for-energy-efficiency-immense-Power-minis.html