Power Shortages in India - Power Cuts in Indian Textile Industries

Industries are complicated units with several machines and software applications. They can never be driven by hand. Electricity is required in order to run an industrial unit. In a developing economy like India, industrialists especially feel the need for power to drive units. If there is a shortage of power, industries are bound to suffer in terms of production. It is as necessary as other resources to an industrial unit.

The 2012 northern India power grid failure led to major power losses in the country. The power industry in India is not developed as such, owing to which industries do not get sufficient power. Power cuts are usual in Indian industries because of which small and medium sector manufacturing units, with limited resources, have been forced to shut down in the past. A number of workers have lost their jobs.

The majority of the textile industries in India are small and medium-scaled. It depends on various factors for its survival. Power is one of the major contributors in these units. States like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have lower textile production than what they are capable of. Researches indicate that the textile industry in Tamil Nadu faces losses worth ₹300 crore a day owing to power shortages and irregularities.

The industrial sector consumes the highest power in India. It consumes 49 percent of the total energy production in the country. The textile industry consumes the third-highest energy in India. The industry is getting automated day by day, and the consumption of energy is expected to increase. The need for efficient energy management lurks high in the Indian textile industry. That will also lead to reduced production costs.

Power is consumed in all the machineries to some extent. Textile machines are no exception! This is especially true with regards to the machines that are produced in India. European textile machineries consume comparatively lesser power. This ultimately helps the textile industry to save on production costs. The energy consumption of machineries also depend on the fact whether they are used or new. Used textile machines consume more energy.

Modern industrial units are advanced cocoons that make use of several software applications. Computers require power to work properly and efficiently. Only if there is sufficient electricity will the units be able to run software applications. They cannot be avoided either as they help industries in saving on employee salaries. Immense power is consumed in textile industries in order to run servers and personal computers.

Indian power sector generates power from some traditional sources. There are renewable sources and non renewable sources of energy for making power in India. The western regions of the country mostly generate power from thermal sources. The northern regions make use of the hydro electric power. The southern regions make the most use of renewable sources of energy and the eastern region makes use of coal for power generation.

Textile industry, being the most pollution generating industry in the world, needs to make use of renewable sources of energy the most. Almost 51.4 percent of the total country's power generated from renewable energy sources is in southern India. Wind mills and hydro electricity are the main source of power among renewable sources of energy. Thermal sources of energy are also advisable in textile industries.

Indian textile industries also make use of non renewable sources of energy. These non renewable sources of energy generate flawless power, but they are way too expensive. Besides, they emit poisonous gases into the atmosphere. Coal, natural gas, oil, and other fossil fuels also help in generating power for the Indian textile industries. India lacks these resources in a quantity as to generate power in a large scale out of it.

Indian textile industry can grow further. But power shortages restrict its growth to a certain extent. Companies are helpless in this regards. Studies show that brownouts and blackouts majorly occur in emerging economies like India. South Asia frequently experiences power cuts. Though it lasts only for a little time, it has drastic effect on industries. Latin America has very few power cuts, but the ones experienced last for a long time.

Other countries like USA and European countries are also facing a similar situation. But they have overcome majority of their problems by changing the source to generate electricity. Renewable energy sources are made use of in order to generate power in these countries. Indian power generating units need immense development in terms of infrastructure and technical expertise. The growth of the Indian textile industry will always be limited otherwise.

Power shortages are a matter of grave concern for all the industries, including the textile industry. The power ministry in the country is working towards solving this problem. But more efforts need to be put in from the side of the Indian government. The textile industry can get a boost with the regulation of power. Textile industries of many textile producing states suffer losses owing to this crisis.

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