Looking Beyond Nuclear to Faster Achieve Carbon Neutrality

Since India announced at the 26th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that it has set 2070 as the target for achieving net zero emissions, we can only help by tracking the measures that will make it happen. While successful industries are actively participating in government initiatives that are moving the wheels towards net zero emissions, small industries and laypeople can still do their bit to accelerate the journey towards carbon neutrality. Contributions may vary in size, frequency or effectiveness, but they have a cumulative impact that can yield a holistic result in the long run towards carbon neutrality.

Larger companies are adopting various regulatory mechanisms to minimize their carbon footprint. One such mechanism is PAT (Perform, Achieve, Trade), which has helped the country avoid emitting over 90 million tons of CO2 in the first and second cycles. This process involves issuing certificates to those who exceed their environmental targets, which can be traded with those who fall short. In addition to PAT, one of the main solutions that has recently received a lot of attention is switching to nuclear power.

A recent independent national study by IIM Ahmedabad on the path to a low-carbon economy found that the country’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2070 is only possible with significant nuclear power generation. Its capacity needs to be between 78 GW and 331 GW under various energy transition scenarios, compared with the current capacity of around 7.5 GW. Nuclear power generation is a low-carbon energy source with a very low carbon footprint. It is safe and unaffected by weather changes. While it is an excellent source of clean energy, it is high maintenance risk and an expensive alternative to fossil fuel energy.

As businesses grapple with the decision-making process of switching to nuclear power, it’s important to recognize that each of us, from households to small businesses, can also play a key role in reducing our carbon footprint. By adopting some energy efficiency measures, we can contribute to the overall goal of minimizing or achieving carbon neutrality. Our individual actions, when combined, can have a significant impact on the fight against climate change.

How can small businesses contribute?
Energy consumption for human thermal comfort accounts for a significant portion of energy consumption in small industries and businesses. Places such as offices, showrooms, shops, and warehouses must maintain a comfortable temperature for staff and customers. This often involves the use of air conditioners (ACs), refrigerators, and fans. Surprisingly, these thermal comfort devices can consume a significant amount of energy, which impacts operating costs and the environment.

Among them, fans are particularly ubiquitous. However, not many people know that traditional fans consume a lot of energy, around 75-85 W. To address this, we look at innovations like the Superfan, which revolutionized the fan industry by introducing the Superfan, India’s first BLDC fan in 2012. The BLDC fan is a super energy-efficient alternative to the older traditional AC induction motor fans. It uses 69% less energy than AC induction motor fans and does not heat up during operation. This level of energy saving will reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-based power generation and electricity bill expenses. Any small business that does not require advanced HVAC systems for human thermal comfort can easily switch to BLDC fans. By adopting super energy-efficient devices, small businesses can save a lot on their electricity bills and minimize their impact on the environment.

In addition, it is not only fans that have super energy-saving options; other devices have highly efficient options, usually with a BEE Star label on the device. By choosing energy-saving devices, the long-term cost savings would be high while minimizing the impact on the environment.

The role of households
Energy consumption for human thermal comfort accounts for a significant portion of household energy consumption. This includes air conditioners (ACs), refrigerators, and various types of fans. By choosing energy-efficient air conditioners, such as new inverter air conditioners and BLDC fans, you can significantly reduce your energy costs and environmental impact while maintaining comfort.

Almost every family in our country uses ceiling fans as a standard thermal comfort device. They need to be aware of their contribution to tons of carbon dioxide emissions caused by burning fossil fuels. Public awareness is essential because the ceiling fans and air conditioners that we use cause local heating around buildings and perpetuate this vicious cycle. By switching to BLDC fans, one can use the Dual Cooling mechanism that helps reduce the load on air conditioners and achieve ideal thermal cooling by combining it with BLDC fans. The fan cools the person based on the evaporation of sweat while the air conditioner cools the room. A BLDC fan operating with an air conditioner set at 27 degrees Celsius can provide a noticeable cooling of 24 degrees Celsius but consumes less energy (around 15%) than an air conditioner operating at 24 degrees Celsius. With this contribution from the general public, the load of energy generation from fossil fuels will be reduced and with it the carbon dioxide emission.

The Bigger Picture
We focus on optimizing current energy use, especially through energy-efficient devices, to reduce and optimize current demand before switching to alternative energy sources. By reducing energy demand, the cost of switching to cleaner energy becomes more economically and politically feasible. This reduction in demand can reduce the financial and infrastructure burden associated with building alternative energy sources, such as nuclear power.

The synergistic effect of households and small businesses using energy-efficient technology such as BLDC for thermal comfort can help the country reach carbon neutrality goals faster. While businesses are moving to nuclear power one by one, other groups in our society, such as small businesses and households, can play a key role by making informed energy decisions, choosing cooling devices and staying informed about the most efficient way to use them. The goal must be to reduce the use of energy generated from fossil fuels and keep energy expenditures within a safe range. Households using nuclear power seem impractical at the initial stage because it is expensive. Therefore, it is only fair, if not better, for small businesses and families to look beyond nuclear power and adopt energy-efficient alternatives to accelerate the journey towards carbon neutrality, strengthening them in the movement for sustainable development.