R&D strategy for lighting and cooking energy for rural households

Abstract

It is a matter of shame for all of us that even after 55 years of independence there are 63 % of total rural households in India which use only kerosene for lighting. Majority of the kerosene lamps are hurricane type lamps, which produce very poor light of about 60-70 lumens. Similarly, rural areas in India use about 180 million tons of biomass fuel for cooking through very inefficient and smoky cookstoves. Cooking and lighting energy constitute 75% of total energy used in rural areas. Yet the quality of end product (heat and light) leaves much to be desired and the rural poor are still living in stone ages. A country, which has made great strides in developing world class rocket technology and software, can certainly create technologies to improve the quality of life for rural poor. This paper therefore presents some possible research and development strategies in lighting and cooking energy based upon the emerging technologies like nano and biotechnology. Various economic and policy issues are discussed which might make it possible to improve the lives of rural poor. It is a matter of shame for all of us that even after 55 years of independence there are 63% of total rural households in India, which use only kerosene for lighting 1 . Majority of the kerosene lamps are hurricane type lamps, which produce very poor light of about 60-70 lumens (lm) 2 (a 100 W bulb produces ~ 1300 lm and for reading about 100-200 lm/m 2 or lux is sufficient 4 ). In some states like Bihar, Assam etc. there are about 90-95% rural households which use only kerosene for lighting. Thus there are estimates that 90-100 million rural households do not have electricity and with frequent blackouts and brownouts even larger number probably use kerosene for lighting. Similarly, rural areas in India use about 180 million tons of biomass fuel for cooking through very inefficient and smoky cookstoves 1 . Cooking and lighting energy constitute 75% of total energy used in rural areas. Yet the quality of end product (heat and light) leaves much to be desired and the rural poor are still living in stone ages. Our mass media rarely highlight this plight of rural poor who have the same aspirations as the rest of the country of getting clean fuel like liquid petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking and good high lumen light source. With electricity shortfall of about 15,000 MW/year in India; poor grid infrastructure in rural areas 3 , and with ever increasing petroleum imports for the country it is safe to say that the lives of rural poor will remain in a primitive state for a long time to come. A country, which has made great strides in developing world class rocket technology and software, can certainly create technologies to improve the quality of life for rural poor. This paper therefore presents some possible research and development strategies in lighting and cooking energy.