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Ajay Dua
Energy Efficient Lighting in India - Potential and Strategies Dr., Director, Energy Management Centre & Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India Satish Sabharwal Energy Economist, Energy Management Centre, New Delhi, India Abstract Concern for improving efficiency of energy use is a recent phenomenon in India. During the last 45 years since India became an independent nation, efforts have been directed more towards augmenting the installed generation capacity of electricity which has increased over fifty-fold from 1,362 MW in 1947 to about 72,300 MW in 1992, With steep increases in price of imported oil and depleting domestic stocks of good quality coal and the demand for energy growing at 8% per annum, the country cannot afford to ignore any longer issues connected with energy conservation and demand side management. Working towards an all-round improvement in end-use efficiency including for lighting is expected to become a major issue during the Nineties and the decades to come as India finds that capacity-creation is an expensive proposition both in terms of capital as well as recurring costs involved and that there is not enough money available for the envisaged capacity generation programme. With the breaking up of the erstwhile Soviet Union, a major source of external funding for the Indian power industry has disappeared without any reliable substitute being in sight. External funding agencies, both multilateral and bilateral are stipulating a wide variety of conditions before sanctioning funds for new projects. Need for energy conservation across the entire economy has therefore assumed greater significance. substantial potential for energy saving has been identified in the growing industrial sector but the resource-shortage is likely to pose a stumbling block in carrying out significant process-changes. In agriculture, considerable efficiency-improvement in pumps and motors used for lifting water is however possible even with low capital inputs. The present lighting systems account for approximately 13% of total electricity consumption in India and contribute significantly higher during morning and evening peak hours. With increased urbanization, construction of more dwelling units, an expanding commercial sector and a massive rural electrification programme underway, the demand for lighting is likely to grow rapidly in years to come.(...)
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