Household Energy Consumption and Quality of Life Among Low-income Groups in India: A comparative study of Delhi and Kharagpur

Abstract At present, the lower-income group (LIG) accounts for 85.2% of the total population in India, which is expected to become the upcoming middle-income group (MIG) in the near future. With the increase in household income, there is a significant increase in household energy consumption (HEC). In India, total energy consumption has grown significantly (6.5%/year since 2020, of which 5% in 2023), out of which 30% is from the residential sector. This study explores the relationship between Quality of Life (QOL) and Household Energy Consumption (HEC) among LIGs in India, along with the factors influencing both. It aims to assess their independence in the Indian context and identify solutions to improve QOL without significantly increasing HEC, particularly for the growing MIG. A total of 539 and 335 samples from Delhi and Kharagpur were collected from LIG households. Overall, people in Delhi have better well-being and life satisfaction than Kharagpur, 3.9/3.4 and 4.0/3.9 on a 5-point scale, respectively. Regarding total HEC, Delhi has a larger average HEC (1.8 GJ/month) than Kharagpur (1.01 GJ/month). The results of SEM show that QOL is improved through social and economic conditions for the people of Delhi, who tend to be more energy-conscious, leading to less HEC. In contrast, in Kharagpur, people’s QOL tends to improve with home comfort and owning more appliances, ultimately increasing HEC.