India is currently witnessing a remarkable transformation in its ceiling fan market. The primary driver of this significant change is India’s commitment towards moving to more sustainable and cleaner energy sources. The nation’s focus on reducing the harmful emissions per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 45% by 2030, relative to the levels in 2005, makes it imperative to adopt energy-efficient solutions across different sectors.
The Role of Households and Ceiling Fan Usage
Households are major consumers of electricity in India, accounting for almost one-third of the total usage. Appliances like ceiling fans play a crucial role in this regard. As per the 2020 survey by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), 90% of households in India use ceiling fans, making them a significant contributor to electricity consumption.
Projections and Plans for Cooling
The India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) projects an increase in the usage of fans in India from about 500 million to a billion by 2038. ICAP aims to decrease cooling demand across sectors by 20-25% by 2037-38 and reduce refrigerant demand by 25-30% and cooling energy requirements by 25-40% by the same year. To achieve these goals, mandatory star ratings for ceiling fans and regulatory changes have been implemented, encouraging manufacturers to develop more energy-efficient fan models.
Government Initiatives for Enhanced Ceiling Fan Energy Efficiency
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), India’s energy efficiency regulator under Union Ministry of Power, has developed the Standards and Labelling (S&L) programme, known as the `star-rating` programme. It mandates labelling of ceiling fans based on their energy efficiency, informs customers about the fan’s energy performance, and encourages manufacturers to produce energy-efficient fans.
Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) and the `5-star` Fans
Affordability of `5-star` fans, which are priced twice as much as typical unrated fans, is a challenge. To address this, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) is planning a demand aggregation programme to sell 10 million ‘5-star’ ceiling fans. This program aims to transform the fan market in the same way it did for LED lamps under the Unnat Jyoti by Affordable Light Emitting Diode (LED) for All (UJALA) program.
The UJALA Program
Launched in 2015, the UJALA program aims to promote efficient energy usage. The program transformed into the world’s largest zero subsidy domestic lighting program, addressing concerns about high electrification costs and emissions due to inefficient lighting. As of January 5, 2022, thanks to the UJALA program, 47,778 million kWh per annum energy has been saved.
Way Forward and Recommendations
To continue this trend towards energy efficiency, adopting a technology-agnostic policy that accommodates varying fan technologies is recommended. Policies should maintain a balance between price reduction and quality assurance. Domestic manufacturing of high efficiency fans should be encouraged to benefit from economies of scale. The standard and labeling programs must be strengthened to ensure the authenticity of energy performance labels. Finally, the role of energy-efficient fans in reducing electricity bills, providing critical services during extreme heat, and contributing to economic growth should be highlighted.
Previous Year Question on BEE Star Label
In the 2016 UPSC Civil Services Examination, a question was asked about the Bureau of Energy Efficiency Star Label. The question was, “On which of the following can you find the Bureau of Energy Efficiency Star Label? (2016) Ceiling fans, Electric geysers, Tubular fluorescent lamps.” The correct answer was all three options.
