Have you ever went out for shopping a fan in mid of summer?Well here is my story how my shopping turned out to be not less then a adventure.
A few months ago, my trusty old ceiling fan finally gave out after years of faithful service. With the summer heat, it was the need of the hour, immediate replacement. But this time, I wanted to make an informed decision and invest in an energy-efficient model. Surprisingly, this quest turned out to be more challenging than I anticipated.
I started my search online, expecting to find clear and comprehensive information about the energy star saving or BEE ratings of various fan models.Getting information on e-selling sites, end up to be a big aspiration! I thought, it’s still ok not to be there, as this is recent 2023 mandate, at least company themselves would be declaring this. Overall, India is aiming for Carbon neutral, so made in India companies would also be taking this seriously. So, I decided to go directly to top fan brands like Bajaj, Havell’s etc. However, I realized that most manufacturer websites are vague and often omitted crucial details about energy consumption and efficiency.
Now, what next ! Yes, you guessed it right, I decided to visit several local stores, hoping for better luck. Consumer, will certainly know what they are able to sell and why! They must have some information on energy consumption & reliability.
In one store, while discussing with knowledgeable shopkeepers, some statistics surfaces out: "India uses around 400 million ceiling fans, each running for an average of 10 hours a day.”
Imagine the energy consumption we are talking about!
This information hit me hard. With such extensive use, the energy savings from an efficient fan could be substantial. However, for so many years no one really thought about it in this direction! If an efficient fan could save just 30 watts per hour, a household with three fans running for 10 hours a day could save 900 watt-hours daily. On a national scale, this amounted to potential savings of billions of kilowatt-hours annually. It was clear that energy-efficient fans were not just about lower electricity bills; they were about contributing to a much bigger cause.
The more I learned, the more frustrated I became with the lack of accessible information. Finding the right ceiling fan is no easy task. Despite government mandates requiring all fan manufacturers to print their star/BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) rating, I found myself struggling to access this crucial information.It seemed ironic that while India aims to be carbon neutral by 2070, our leading fan manufacturers, who have dominated the market for decades, don’t make this crucial information easily accessible. It felt like they were more interested in making profits than in helping consumers make energy-efficient choices.
I decided to take action. I wrote to several fan manufacturers, urging them to prominently display energy efficiency information on their websites and packaging. I reached out to e-commerce platforms, suggesting they highlight these details in their product descriptions.
Lastly, I advocated for educational advertisements that emphasized the power-saving benefits of energy-efficient fans. Now, with this blog I am reaching out to you – the End-consumer. Consumer can only drive the behavior of the industry. It’s a community effort which is required to make a palindrome shift in the whole fan industry ecosystem. Don’t rely on the free or low cost of electricity which you may be getting now; you also know this free eventually will turn into heavy premium costs!
Eventually, I settled with the perfect fan—a model that not only keeps my family cool but also aligns with my values of energy conservation. My journey taught me the importance of accessible information and the power of consumer advocacy.
So, next time you’re in the market for a fan, don’t just settle for the familiar. Seek out the information that empowers you to make a difference. Every kilowatt-hour saved is a step toward a brighter, cooler tomorrow. By making informed choices and advocating for transparency, we can all contribute to a significant positive impact on both our electricity bills and the environment.
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