India’s Electricity Shortage Can Be Eliminated With Efficiency Measures

The widespread adoption of energy efficient light bulbs, fans, refrigerators, air conditioners, and irrigation pumps can overcome India’s electricity shortage by 2013 and significantly reduce the country’s rapidly growing carbon dioxide emissions, according to a new report. The study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory said such simple energy efficiency measures could add $608 billion to India’s gross domestic product by 2020 because they would eliminate the chronic energy shortages that frequently force businesses and factories to reduce production. In addition, introducing energy-efficient appliances and electric motors could avoid the production of 333 million tons of CO2 by 2020, according to the study by the Lawrence Berkeley Lab, part of the U.S. Department of Energy. Indian agencies, with some investment from the U.S. government, plan to use market mechanisms to foster the production and adaptation of more efficient appliances. Although roughly half of India’s 1 billion people lack electricity, the other half is using electricity at a record pace, with demand expected to double or triple in the next 20 years.