Evolution of Sectoral Energy Consumption in India

Abstract

The increasing dependence on energy plays a significant role in shaping out our
future energy demands and economic growth. The main concerns regarding this
approach are related to the limited availability of energy sources and their impact on
global climatic conditions. These impacts are further exaggerated due to the lack of a
coordinated approach towards reducing energy consumption for a sustainable
alternative. The article focuses on the end-use energy consumers which are primarily
agricultural, transportation, industry, residential and commercial sectors and how
the use of technology and urbanization has impacted them. Using the contribution of
these sectors and the population growth, alternative future scenarios were
developed and compared, where the advantages of an energy-efficiency approach
was exhibited. At an urban level, these sectors were associated to different land uses
and their potential to improve energy efficiency was explained using various
techniques and indicators. One of the primary goals of this article was to explain the
methodologies to achieve energy efficiency in communities, which was explained
using the role of comprehensive technologies like GIS and integrated approaches
under urban planning. Case studies of Bangalore and Massachusetts were elaborated
to comprehend such initiatives at a city scale and how they can be implemented in
reality. Exploring these questions sets a course for informing local land use decisions
that impact energy consumption.