Energy switch: Letter to BS on electricity use needs transformation

The finding is significant in part because indoor air pollution is a major by-product of the use of biomass, which diminishes the quality of life, especially for women and young children

This is with reference to “Electricity use needs transformation” (January 15). The poor tend to rely on a significantly different set of energy carriers than the rich, consuming in traditional ways proportionately more wood, dung and other biomass, and less electricity and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). This finding is significant in part because indoor air pollution is a major by-product of the use of biomass, which diminishes the quality of life, especially for women and young children. This finding also derives significance from the fact that biomass is significantly more expensive per unit of usable energy than other energy sources. Households use fuel in a variety of activities. Different energy carriers can be used in these activities, including firewood, dung, charcoal, coal, kerosene, electricity and LPG. These carriers form what is commonly referred to as an energy ladder, with each rung corresponding to the dominant finial used by successive income groups. Thus, wood, dung and other biomass, which are burned for use in cooking, represent the lowest rung on the energy ladder, with charcoal and coal (when available), kerosene, electricity and LPG representing successive rungs. The ordering of fuels on the energy ladder also corresponds to their efficiency (i.e., the fraction of available energy that is applied in a particular end use) and their cleanliness. Households must make choices among the energy carrier options, which they presumably do on the basis of both their socioeconomic characteristics and the attributes of the alternative energy carriers. Income is the main characteristic that appears to influence a household’s choice of energy carrier. Hence, there is a need to switch over to non-conventional sources such as solar, wind, water and tidal. The production of electricity by these sources is cheaper than fossil fuel and gas.

Sushil Bakliwal, Jaipur Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: 

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