Just a second, let's think

Should costly electricity from the grid be used to run the ACs or some other fuel be used for such heating and cooling purposes? What kind of energy should be used for what activity - this should be a well thought out process, feel experts. For instance, in Germany where it is transport followed by residential sector that takes the biggest pie out the energy cake, how will renewable energy fit the bill, asks Prof Edgar Shicker of the Georg Simon Ohm University of Applied Sciences.

Which demand should be met with which source should be amongst the focus of planners instead of an en masse adoption of a new technology, feel many like him.

Simply because the solar intensity is high in India, should the nation go for solar PV power? Setting up huge infrastructure because land is available will be a lost cause if the same power has to be transmitted over large distances, incurring costs. Instead, one needs to study what kind of demand exists and what source fits the demand best. Right? This is also so for offshore windpower. Setting up the turbines in sea is fine, but what about the cost of bringing the power home to cities where the demand is most? Is it economically viable?

Subsidies that have good intentions will be exploited in the process. The story in EU where biofuels are given huge subsidies have seen huge transportation and carbon costs in importing the biofuel. Subsidies in India, both for water and power, have often resulted in scant respect for the dwindling resources. Should power be as subsidised as it is? But then which government is going to take an unpopular step? Bell the cat!