ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF HOUSEHOLD ENERGY USE: A CASE STUDY OF INDIA

In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that socio-economic variables are the strongest predictors of energy use. Income, education, occupation and location have now become the measures most frequently used by current researchers. Using the data from the National Sample Survey (1983-2000), the present paper analyses the dynamics of energy end-use in household sector in India. The energy consumption is disaggregated according to social class (employment characteristics, access to resources) and income group for rural as well as urban households. It is observed that large variations in energy use exist across different sections of households urban/rural, low/high income groups, etc. The paper analyses the energy-poverty nexus, impacts of household energy use on livelihood and gender issues. The positive effects of innovation of energy efficiency and the required policies and specific proposals for government intervention to achieve the potential for energy efficiency are discussed. 1