Development of energy balance table for rural and urban households and evaluation of energy consumption in Indian states

Abstract The purpose of this study is to analyze the historical characteristics of energy transition and consumption patterns in rural and urban households in India. By developing a comprehensive database, this study first develops a systematic bottom-up method to construct per-capita energy balance table for rural and urban households in each state in year 2004, 2009 and 2011. Next, characteristics of energy transitions in relation with income levels are analyzed by comparing energy consumption across low, middle and high-income states for rural and urban households. In the study, it was found that cooking is the prime energy consuming service and faster energy transition is happening in higher income households. With increasing urbanization, transition to clean and energy efficient fuels for cooking and lighting services is observed. The quantity and share of biomass and kerosene has been decreasing in total per-capita household energy use, which is getting replaced by Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and electricity in high-income households. The rural high-income households consume more biomass, LPG and electricity than low-income households, whereas urban high-income households consume less biomass but significantly more LPG and electricity than low-income households. Among different drivers of energy demand, per-capita income and urbanization are emerging as most important drivers. Thus, this study explains energy choices in each service type, pattern of energy consumption and disparity in use of advance energies in rural and urban households across all states of India.