World's top 15 electricity producers, India 5th

[Sir john]

The world is already in the grip of a major power crisis. With the developing nations' appetite and demand for more energy, the situation is likely to get even worse if steps are not taken to find alternate and clean/green sources of energy Almost all natural resources that are used to generate power -- oil, gas, even water -- seem to have limited availability. Thus alternative sources of energy -- wind, nuclear, solar -- might be the way out for the developing as also the rich countries. After the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change, many nations pledged to reduce their carbon emissions. Developing countries, including India and China, believe it is the responsibility of wealthy industrialised nations such as the United Kingdom and the United States to cut more carbon emissions as they have already achieved a certain standard of living. As India and China, and indeed other nations, grow towards attaining better lifestyles and living conditions for their populations, their appetite for electricity will only rise further. The total electricity production in the world in 2008 stood at 19,950,3917,395,212 kWh (kWh, or kilowatt hour, is a unit of energy equal to 1,000 watt hours), while the total power consumption was 17,109,665,000 gigawatt hours. The per capita power consumption in the world was 297 watts: almost six times the Indian average.

[Sir john]

1. The United States of America The world's largest producer of electricity is indeed the United States of America. In 2008, America produced a gigantic 4,110,259,050,000 kWh of power. The US is also the world's largest consumer of electricity. In 2007, it consumed 3,872,598,000 megawatt hours of electricity, but its per capita power consumption, at 1,460 watts, it is not the highest in the world. Countries like Iceland (3,152 watts), Norway 2,812 watts, Finland (1,918 watts), Canada (1,910 watts), Qatar (1,757 watts), Sweden (1,692 watts), Luxembourg (1,549 watts), Kuwait (1,540 watts) among others have a much higher per capita power consumption than the United States does. 2. China China, the world's fastest growing major economy, is undeniably a global economic powerhouse. In a testimony to its growing clout, China's nearly $5 trillion economy surpassed Japan to become the world's second largest economy in June 2010. While the global financial crisis was a catastrophe for most economies, it was more an opportunity than a calamity for China. It is an energy-hungry nation, and its rapidly growing economy required more and more reserves to keep it going. That is why the Asian giant has been buying into natural resources and reserves globally. Bolstered by massive stimulus measures and improving domestic output, China has clocked a staggering economic growth rate of almost 10 per cent for several years. The Asian giant is the world's superpower in hydropower generation and its total electricity production in 2008 was 3,221,798,270,000 kWh, second only to the United States. Even in power consumption, China ranks second in the world. In 2009, it consumed 3,650,600,000 gigawatt hours of electricity. At 277 watts, its per capita power consumption is almost five times that of India. 3. Japan Japan, which is the world's third largest economy, produced 1,009,445,000,000 kWh of electricity in 2008 making it the world's third largest generator of power, ahead of Russia and India. Japan's total electricity consumption in 2008 was 1,007,067,000 gigawatt hours, with a per capita power consumption of 868 watts. It is the world's third largest consumer of electricity. 4. Russia Russia is the world's fourth largest producer of electricity. In the year 2008, the Russian Federation produced 982,998,790,000 watts of electricity. Russians consume 840,380,000 gigawatt hours of electricity making them the fourth highest users of power. The per capita power consumption in Russia is 785 watts, which is more than 15 times what an average Indian consumes.

[Sir john]

5. India India faces a power crisis of such magnitude that it can be termed as one of the biggest threats to the nation's economic growth and progress. Today, decades after Independence hundreds of Indian villages still do not have electricity, especially in the rural areas. Among the cities, with the sole exception of Mumbai, almost all Indian cities suffer daily power cuts, affecting industry, business, education and life in general. And this, despite the fact that India has the fifth largest electricity-generation capacity in the world. It has an installed capacity of over 152 gigawatts (1 gigawatt is equal to 1 billion watts). In 2008 (which are the latest figures available), India produced 787,546,450,000 kWh of electricity, which is about 4 per cent of the total power generation in the world. Only four other countries produce more electricity than India. India is also the world's fifth largest consumer of electricity. In 2007, India consumed 568,000,000 megawatt hours of electricity, which works out to an average of about 51 watts per person. Comparatively, the per capita electricity consumption in the United States is 1,460 watts, and in China it is 700 watts. India has amongst the lower per capita power consumption rates in the world. Only Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Congo, Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sudan, Cameroon, Nepal, and some other sub-Saharan countries have lower power consumption than India.

[Holysmoke]

power just got 15% cheaper in south mumbai :yay: and 15% more expensive in the suburbs :hehe: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_ashok-chavan-promises-to-remedy-suburb-city-power-tariff-divide_1438599

For usage up to 100 units, BEST consumers in the island city pay Rs1.55 per unit, while RInfra (Reliance Infrastructure Ltd) consumers in the suburbs pay Rs2.96. For usage between 100 and 300 units, BEST consumers pay Rs3.30 per unit against suburban consumers’ Rs5.56. The discrepancy in the tariff rate was admitted to by Khan’s cabinet colleagues. On Tuesday, the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) ordered a 15% reduction in tariff for the island city. This has only enhanced the difference.

[achilles]

Power jaata kahan hai? We are 5th on the list and villages in India go without electricity for 18hrs a day. What a joke we are for the world.

[Sir john]

bijli buss seharo ke liye hain, but in my village at himachal,light never goes.:yay::yay::yay::yay: but in delhi light get off many times.:((:((:((:((

[dial_100]

Unless we tap into various Renewable energy sources, it is going to be very tough. Hydro/Thermal/Nuclear energy sources can be explored. We are terribly slow in everything.. I know we will get there eventually.

[ViruRulez]

power just got 15% cheaper in south mumbai :yay: and 15% more expensive in the suburbs :hehe: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_ashok-chavan-promises-to-remedy-suburb-city-power-tariff-divide_1438599

WTF :WTF: Rs. 1.55 per unit .. kya Mumbai me Rs. 100 ka bill aata hai .. highest unit charge kya hai .. is rate me to 1000 ka bhi bill muskil hain .. wahan pe jyada electricity hain kya itna sasta kar rakha hai .. baaki desh me bhej de yaar jyada rate milega :P

[Mamu]

Power jaata kahan hai? We are 5th on the list and villages in India go without electricity for 18hrs a day. What a joke we are for the world.

We need to feed 1 Billion (with a B). We need to get out Nuclear Plants up and running.

[achilles]

We need to feed 1 Billion (with a B). We need to get out Nuclear Plants up and running.

I'm sure if even 4 people out of 10 work honestly in the government, we could do better management of the existing resources rather can creating artificial shortages. We'd be lucky if the N-deal with US is pressed into motion by the time our kids turn 5. Bureaucracy is India's biggest weakness.

[zen]

Even though India is the 5th largest electricity producer, it probably needs a lot more electricity, esp considering how it is expanding both in terms of economic and population growth Also there is a need to work on renewable energy sources. There is a need to get away from coal buring power stations as burning coal helps increase carbondioxide, a greenhouse gas which increases global warming Nuclear plants wouldn't be a bad idea, if nuclear waste is disposed off in the right way At the end of the day, Indians will have to make sure that they don't waste too much electricity at individual level. A sum of small good gestures can be huge Also there is an urgent need to manage India's water resources. It's sad to see people dump all kinds of waste in to water systems. If Indians continue to pollute their own water streams then only God can help them. This problem of wanting to pollute anything stems from basic dirtiness of the citizens of the country where someone or the other is always willing to spit that pan or pee on the wall or throw the garbage on the street from the top of their appartment. A proper planing of garbage disposal system w/ citizens being educated to use it propery needs to be undertaken immediately I am sorry to say but there aren't too many places that are dirtier than the sub-continent. It's almost like it is the garbage of the world. People have to step up to see that the new India is clean and green.

[Sir john]

clean ad green india at chandigarh and himachal pradesh only.:yay: