India will have to be ready for an increase of 9 to 10 percent in this summer demand. Experts have warned of an increase in demand for possible scorching heat and electricity in the country.
Experts believe that due to increasing use of AC due to increasing heat, electricity demand is continuously increasing. Last year, the maximum demand for electricity at the national level crossed 250 GW on 30 May. Which was 6.3 percent higher than estimated.
Experts believe that rising temperature due to climate change is the biggest reason for an increase in power demand. Currently, the contribution of industries, homes and agriculture in India’s total power consumption is 33%, 28% and 19% respectively.
According to Delhi-based Think Tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water Senior Program Lead-Renuables Disha Aggarwal, domestic electricity demand has increased at the fastest rate in the last decade.
The share of domestic power consumption in 2012-13 was 22 percent, which has increased to 25 percent in 2022-23. According to experts, domestic power consumption has increased due to increasing use of AC due to economic growth and rising temperature.
One AC is sold every 15 seconds in India. Consumption of 10 new ACs every second will increase in the next 30 years. Rishika Khosla, director of Oxford India Center for Sustainable Development, Oxford University, said that despite this growth, two to five billion people would not have AC by 2050.
He said that ongoing research suggests that in two degrees Celsius more hot world, India will have the highest demand in India. This will be followed by China, Nigeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Philippines and the United States.
During one of the hottest and longest summer waves, 41,789 cases of heat stroke have been reported in India and 143 people have died due to heat.
