Kumar, Pranay | India

Pranay Kumar

Pranay Kumar is a doctoral candidate at the E.J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University, USA. With bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and law, he graduated in City and Regional Planning program with concentration in Sustainable Energy Management. His research interests include analyzing public policies for a just and equitable energy transition with focus on human and social dimensions. He is associated with a multi-university project on evaluating effectiveness of behavioral interventions in food, energy, and water (FEW) conservation in US residential households.

 

Project at IAS-STS

Energy efficiency (EE) is not only described as one of the lowest cost energy resources with multiple benefits but also considered a potential policy tool in limiting carbon emissions. However, some scholars and practitioners have raised concerns regarding the conceptual, methodological, and procedural limitations of the energy efficiency actions and programs in realizing net energy savings, carbon reductions, and equitable outcomes. To meet the sustainable energy transition goals, a growing body of research identifies the need for studying the energy systems from multi-disciplinary perspectives that brings out the human and social dimensions along with their techno-economic abstractions. In this study, conduct a thematic review on the energy efficiency objectives, actions, and outcomes from a science, technology studies (STS) perspective to explore the underlying dynamics, synergies, and trade-offs between the different actors, institutions, and situational contexts. I propose to explore five broad overlapping themes that situate energy efficiency actions and outcomes in the context of sustainable energy transition-(i) Demonstrable savings versus ethical and equitable outcomes; (ii) Efficiency versus consumption; (iii) Role conflicts at the individual, household, and institutional levels; (iii) Institutional inertia and power dynamics in energy efficiency complex; and (v) Heterogeneity in energy efficiency policies.

 

Contact: pranay [punkt] kumar at rutgers [punkt] edu

 

Selected Publications

Felder, F.A., Kumar, P., 2021. A review of existing deep decarbonization models and their potential in policymaking. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 152, 111655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111655

Berman Caggiano, H., Kumar, P., Shwom, R. et al. Explaining green technology purchases by US and Canadian households: the role of pro-environmental lifestyles, values, and environmental concern. Energy Efficiency 14, 46 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-021-09959-8

Froio, Z., Kumar, P. & Felder, F.A. Not adding up: free ridership and spillover calculations in energy efficiency evaluations. Energy Efficiency 13, 991–1005 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-020-09872-6

Frank A. Felder & Pranay Kumar. NJ Spotlight in September 2019 titled “We Need to Determine Net Economic Impacts for NJ of Offshore-Wind Energy”. https://www.njspotlight.com/2019/09/19-09-18-op-ed-we-need-to-determine…

Frank A. Felder & Pranay Kumar. NJ Spotlight in February 2019 titled “Measuring energy-efficiency the right way”. https://www.njspotlight.com/2019/02/19-02-18-op-ed-moving-beyond-promis…