Residential energy demand modeling: an empirical analysis of Indian states
Student name: Ms Yashaswini Saraswat
Guide: Dr Ritu Mathur
Year of completion: 2015
Host Organisation: TERI University
Abstract: The primary objective of the thesis is to investigate the determinants of energy use in the household sector in Indian states. NSSO, Round 68 data has been used to estimate price & expenditure elasticities of four main fuels- Firewood, Kerosene, Electricity and LPG. Elasticity estimates establish the relationship between household demand for a fuel, price & income and are important mainly for forecasting purposes. The latest fuel demand elasticities across income classes in rural and urban population, for the country and 26 states, have been estimated separately while attempting to compare the impact of regional differences on fuel demand. It was found that most rural areas use primarily firewood for cooking purposes. There is a huge difference in consumption levels of electricity and LPG in rural & urban areas. Kerosene was found to be a transition fuel across different income classes. Presence of appliances like cooker and stove was a significant variable in the choice of firewood and LPG. Households with educated females were found to affect fuel choice significantly.
Keywords: Elasticities; Indian States; NSS; Rural-Urban Divide
