Sunday, July 18, 2004
The downside of a booming economy
Shanghai's booming economy (growth of 14.8% in the first 6 months of 2004) has begun to create a unique set of problems, according to the BBC. Shanghai is reeling under a heat wave, with temperatures rising above 38 Celsius, meaning that use of air-conditioning has reached all-time highs. Obviously electrical supplies are strained and the authorities are having to ration electricity in order to prevent wholesale power cuts. As a result, a few thousand Shanghai businesses have been asked to shift operations from day to night to ease the strain on power supply. Clearly, the economy could use some cooling down.
There are serious lessons India can learn from Shanghai's predicament. After all, 38 celsius may be bloody hot in Shanghai, but its just a pleasant summer's day in Delhi (where temperatures go over 45 celsius fairly frequently). And China has a real winter, unlike most parts of peninsular India. So, it would probably help if planners start thinking of encouraging the building of energy-efficient "green" buildings to avoid massive power-cuts, electricity rationing and so on. To that extent, it is great news that the world's greenest building is now in Hyderabad. It would also help to spend some research dollars on innovative new means of captive power generation. Captive hydel power generation anyone?
There are serious lessons India can learn from Shanghai's predicament. After all, 38 celsius may be bloody hot in Shanghai, but its just a pleasant summer's day in Delhi (where temperatures go over 45 celsius fairly frequently). And China has a real winter, unlike most parts of peninsular India. So, it would probably help if planners start thinking of encouraging the building of energy-efficient "green" buildings to avoid massive power-cuts, electricity rationing and so on. To that extent, it is great news that the world's greenest building is now in Hyderabad. It would also help to spend some research dollars on innovative new means of captive power generation. Captive hydel power generation anyone?
