Policy-driven approach to demand management from space cooling and water heating appliances: insights from a primary survey of urban Bengaluru, India

Appliances that provide thermal comfort services like space cooling and water heating have high energy demands and significant seasonal variation in usage. Ownership and usage of these appliances increase rapidly with income. Given the significant impact of these appliances on electricity demand, it is key to analyse their ownership and usage. A well-designed policy and standards framework can help transition households as well as manufacturers towards a higher efficiency ecosystem, and significantly lower electricity demand growth rates. In this study, we analyse ownership and usage patterns of these appliances using data from a primary survey of Bengaluru, India. We suggest some passive demand-side management frameworks based on current policies implemented for these appliance categories.