Is efficiency the key for a sustainable energy policy in India?

As of 2016, coal consumption in India had tripled and energy consumption more than doubled. These figures are expected to rise significantly in the coming years due to a growing population (soon to be the world’s largest) and a period of rapid economic growth.

In a fossil fuel-dependent country like India, are there ways to ensure more efficient and sustainable energy-use? Renewable alternatives, which often demand large investments in infrastructure and an overhaul of existing systems, may not always be feasible.

One widely proposed solution to this problem is to make the country’s existing energy infrastructure more efficient by reducing or decarbonising energy consumption.