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Energy use in rural India

Abstract

The methods are described by which human and animal energies have been calculated for India. From an energy standpoint, rural India can be thought of as a partially closed ecosystem in which energy derived by people and animals from the photosynthetic products of plants is used to grow and prepare food for humans which in turn provides an essential energy input to grow more food, resulting in an endless cycle. The ecosystem is being disrupted by rapid population growth in India. The extent of the use of non-commercial fuels in villages and towns was determined by the Energy Survey of India Committee in the early 1960's. The committee reported utilization of about 120 million metric tons of wood, 50 million tons of dried dung, and 30 million tons of vegetable waste each year in villages and in urban areas. In terms of U.N. coal equivalents, the energy derived from burning wood, dung, and crop residues adds up to 227 kg per capita per year, or a total for rural India of 100 million tons, with an energy content of 7.53 x 10/sup 14/ kcal. It is projected that 90 percent of this is utilized for cooking and space heating and  More>>
Authors:
Publication Date:
Jun 01, 1976
Product Type:
Journal Article
Reference Number:
EPA-; EDB-76-074638
Resource Relation:
Journal Name: Science; (India); Journal Volume: 192:4243
Subject:
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; ENERGY SUPPLIES; INDIA; ENERGY CONSUMPTION; ANIMALS; BIOMASS; COMBUSTION; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; CONSUMPTION RATES; EFFICIENCY; ELECTRIC POWER; FUEL CONSUMPTION; FUELS; HUMAN POPULATIONS; INDUSTRY; MANURES; NATURAL GAS; PETROLEUM; WOOD; AGRICULTURAL WASTES; ASIA; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; ENERGY SOURCES; FLUIDS; FOSSIL FUELS; FUEL GAS; GAS FUELS; GASES; OXIDATION; POPULATIONS; POWER; RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES; SOLID WASTES; WASTES; 298000* - Energy Planning & Policy- Consumption & Utilization; 290400 - Energy Planning & Policy- Energy Resources; 320000 - Energy Conservation, Consumption, & Utilization
OSTI ID:
7345821
Research Organizations:
Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA
Country of Origin:
India
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Journal ID: CODEN: SCIEA
Submitting Site:
TIC
Size:
Pages: 969-975
Announcement Date:
Sep 01, 1976

Citation Formats

Revelle, R. Energy use in rural India. India: N. p., 1976. Web. doi:10.1126/science.192.4243.969.
Revelle, R. Energy use in rural India. India. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.192.4243.969
Revelle, R. 1976. "Energy use in rural India." India. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.192.4243.969.
@misc{etde_7345821,
title = {Energy use in rural India}
author = {Revelle, R}
abstractNote = {The methods are described by which human and animal energies have been calculated for India. From an energy standpoint, rural India can be thought of as a partially closed ecosystem in which energy derived by people and animals from the photosynthetic products of plants is used to grow and prepare food for humans which in turn provides an essential energy input to grow more food, resulting in an endless cycle. The ecosystem is being disrupted by rapid population growth in India. The extent of the use of non-commercial fuels in villages and towns was determined by the Energy Survey of India Committee in the early 1960's. The committee reported utilization of about 120 million metric tons of wood, 50 million tons of dried dung, and 30 million tons of vegetable waste each year in villages and in urban areas. In terms of U.N. coal equivalents, the energy derived from burning wood, dung, and crop residues adds up to 227 kg per capita per year, or a total for rural India of 100 million tons, with an energy content of 7.53 x 10/sup 14/ kcal. It is projected that 90 percent of this is utilized for cooking and space heating and 10 percent for pottery and brickmaking, metalworking and blacksmithing, and sugar making. In terms of U.N. coal equivalents, the commercial energy use per capita in rural India in 1971 was 37 kg, and the total use in rural population was 16.3 million tons. It is projected here that 12 percent was used for cooking and space heating, 40 percent for lighting, and 48 percent for agriculture. A comparison of U.S. and Indian energy consumption is made. The conclusion that more energy will be needed to support the populace in India is discussed. (MCW)}
doi = {10.1126/science.192.4243.969}
journal = []
volume = {192:4243}
journal type = {AC}
place = {India}
year = {1976}
month = {Jun}
}