Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1993

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering.

Sulphur dioxide and Carbon emission intensities for various sectors of the Indian economy are known at an aggregate level. Reasons for changes in sulphur dioxide and carbon emission intensities have not been quantified. The period 1980 to 1990 has been selected for the study. The Divisia index decomposition method has been used to determine the contributions of fuel quality, fuelmix, energy intensity and sectoral shift in the changes in sulphur dioxide and carbon intensities. The sulphur dioxide intensity increased in Productive sector in the period of study. Productive sector is defined as comprising of those sectors which contributed to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Deterioration in fuel quality is the primary reason for increase in the sulphur dioxide intensity and it contributed to a 79.8% increase of sulphur dioxide intensity. Contributions of fuel quality to sulphur dioxide intensity increase were 138.4% in Manufacturing, 77% in Mining, Quarrying and Construction, 106.9% in Transport and 72.4% in Power sectors. The changes in sectoral shares i.e. sectoral shift (36.6%) played an important role in the increase of sulphur dioxide intensity. The fuelmix (6.7%) and energy intensity (7.9%) helped marginally in the reduction of sulphur dioxide intensity. The energy intensity reduced sulphur dioxide intensity in Transport (211.5%) and Manufacturing (48.4%) sectors. In the same period, carbon intensity increased. The Sectoral shift and energy intensity were the principal contributors in the changes in carbon intensity. While energy intensity helped in reducing emission intensity, sectoral shift raised the emission intensity. The energy intensity was responsible for reducing carbon emission intensity in Manufacturing, Mining, Quarrying and Construction, and Transport sectors. The fuel quality and fuelmix had relatively less effect. In the case of Consumptive sector, income per capita was the principal contributor in the increase of sulphur dioxide and carbon intensity.