renewable versus non renewable energy

8/18/2019 Renewable Versus Non Renewable Energy

1/6

Garima

2120200113

IV Year

B.Planning

SPA Vijayawada

RENEWABLE VS NON

RENEWABLE ENERGY

CLIMATE CHANGE AND CITIES


2/6

RENEWABLE VERSUS NON RENEWABLE ENERGY

TYPES OF ENERGY

The energy sources are classified under 2 heads based on the availability of the raw material used while

generation of energy. So based on availability, there are 2 types of resources of energy:

1.

Non-renewable energy sources

2.

Renewable energy sources

The non-renewable energy sources: The sources of energy which cannot be renewed or re-used are

called non-renewable energy sources. Basically these are the energy source which gets or will get

exhausted in future. Some of the examples of this kind of resources are coal, oil, gas, nuclear energy, etc.

The renewable energy sources: These are the kind of energy source which can be renewed or reused

again and again. These kinds of materials do not exhaust and are available in abundant or infinite quantity.

Example for this kind includes

1.

Solar energy2.

Wind energy

3.

Tidal energy

4.

Geothermal energy

5.

Biomass energy

6.

Hydrological energy

Sometimes renewable sources are also called non-conventional sources of energy since, these kinds of

materials or these ways of energy production were not used earlier or conventionally these were not

practised to a certain extent. Similarly the other one non-renewable source are also called conventional

energy source since these ways have been in practice for many years.

But an exception is there, when classification is done on the basis of convention, then nuclear energy will

be categorised under non-conventional sources (but cannot be called as renewable energy source). This

is because nuclear energy has been put in practice in recent years, so it is not categorized under

conventional sources of energy.

Since India’s’ independence in 1947, the country’s infrastructure has evolved from producing amazedly

from 1350 MW to churning over 2000 MW. Despite the incredible advancement India is still facing an

energy crisis. More than 300 million Indian’s still have no access to electricity most of them reside in Rural

India with the growing economy and1.4 billion population are aspiring for the better quality of life. India’s

energy demand growth is inevitable.

TYPES OF RESOURCES


3/6

1. Non-renewable Resources

a)

Coal (fossil fuel)

Source

Formed from fossilised plants and consisting of carbon with various organic and some inorganiccompounds.

Mined from seams of coal, found sandwiched between layers of rock in the earth.

Burnt to provide heat or electricity.

Advantages

Ready-made fuel.

It is relatively cheap to mine and to convert into energy.

Coal supplies will last longer than oil or gas.

Disadvantages

When burned coal gives off atmospheric pollutants, including greenhouse gases.

In India: About 70% of India’s energy generation capacity is from fossil fuels. With coal accounted for about 57%

of total energy consumption. Coal mining alone in central India threatens over 1.1 million hectares of

forest land and tribes depended on forests for their livelihood. These forests are inhabitant of several

endangered animal species. India is the fourth largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world. This is due to

increased coal consumption which represents 67% of the increased emissions.

E.g. Jharia in Dhanbad, Jharkhand

Big source of cooking coal, there are 40 coals Strems which contains prime cooking coal

400 sq km and 70 fires are recorded in Jharia.

Red hot on landSat image due to underground mine fires and continues emission of several toxic

gases, ash particles and sand particles in air

Presence of coal dust and ash particles causing lung and respiratory diseases among the local

Illegal and untrained practices like underground mining are creating hollowness beneath the

ground leading to sunken land surfaces, more coal fires etc.

New techniques like surface mining used by government are safe for the laborers working and

require less human power but leading to degradation of vegetation , and making the hectares of

land non fertile and barren.

Although India has big source of coal but it is importing coal for steel making from Indonesia

because India is not able to extract suitable coal properly and eventually ending up importing

from other countries.

United States, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, Australia, Germany, are also facing underground coal fires,

most of them are because of spontaneous combustion and creating red hotspots on the imageries.

b) WOOD

Source

Obtained from felling trees, burned to generate heat and light.

Advantages

A cheap and readily available source of energy.

If the trees are replaced, wood burning can be a long-term, sustainable energy source


4/6

Disadvantages

When burned it gives off atmospheric pollutants, including greenhouse gases. If trees are not

replanted then wood is a non-renewable resource

Indian context

Many people resided in rural India and out of them more than half are using firewood as a main resource

of fuel. The other class of people who are directly depended on the firewood as fuel are the tribes living

near or in the forests. This is combustion of firewood releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.Government of India has started many programs for providing clean fuels to the remote areas at the

subsidized rates but still there is a long way to go.

2. Renewable Resources

In contrast renewable energy does not pollute the environment or produce greenhouse gases. It is the

appropriate solution to climate change. But as a country we continue to lag behind in our intention or

action on using and promoting renewable energy. Only 12.25 % of India’s energy generation capacity is

from renewable energy resources. With its natural resources India can emerge as a renewable energy

super power in the world. Only a fraction of the total potential of the renewable energy resources has

been utilized in India.

a) Solar

Sources

Energy from sunlight is captured in solar panels and converted into electricity.

Advantages

Potentially infinite energy supply.

Single dwellings can have own electricity supply.

Disadvantages

Manufacture and implementation of solar panels can be costly.

Now a days the harvesting of solar energy is taking fast pace the investment in solar projects are getting

higher. The world is changing and adopting solar energy for producing electricity. It helps in decreasing

the dependence on fossil fuel consumption.

In Abroad:

A revolutionary step has been taken place in the Southern Germany where the fields, building roofs, farm

houses, hills are completely covered with solar panels. It is the fastest growing sector in the Germany now

a days. Germany government also subsidized the production of electricity from solar energy, other

initiative started by the Germany government is where they rent the roof of building for 20 years and

place solar panels on them and generate electricity. Other example is Spain where off grid systems were

installed in the 90s.

In India:

Gujrat government has taken an unprecedented initiative to promote renewable energy projects like the

canal solar power project in which 18000 kms long network of Narmada canals across the state is intended

to be used for setting solar panels and generating electricity. And the other initiative in Gujrat is the

Charanka solar park where the groups of thin films of photovoltaic power systems are being set up on the

2000 hectare site in the district of Patan.


5/6

Solar power has produced electricity in every diverse Region of India, from rural Bihar to mountain terrain

of Laddakh, from villages of Rajasthan to a metropolitan cities like Bengaluru. In Bihar farmers have used

solar energy to generate underground water for farming and fish culture. Laddakh which is a very high

plateau in the Himalayan range experiences heavy snow falls and remains cut off by road from rest of the

country for several months in the year. Where solar energy is used for cooking, lighting and heating. There

are villages in Rajasthan where electricity is reached now because of Gram Power, A private electricity

generating enterprise. Selco India is the 15 years old company committed to provide much needed accessto clean lighting services to people. Selco has delivered 100,000 solar lighting system to the poor across

the state of Karnataka.

b)

Wind

Sources

Wind turbines (modern windmills) turn wind energy into electricity.

Advantages

Can be found singularly, but usually many together in wind farms.

Potentially infinite energy supply.

Disadvantages Manufacture and implementation of wind farms can be costly.

Some local people object to on-shore wind farms, arguing that it spoils the countryside.

In India:

India is blessed with the Long Cost lines and numerous hilly regions which make wind power a bright

option to generate electricity here.

c) Hydrological or Hydroelectric Power (HEP)

Sources

Energy harnessed from the movement of water through Streams, rivers, lakes and dams.

Advantages

Creates water reserves as well as energy supplies.

At small level , it will be easy source to generate energy from water

Disadvantages

Costly to build.

Can cause the flooding of surrounding communities and landscapes.

Dams have major ecological impacts on local hydrology.

In India

Villages in Lubra valley in Laddakh are generating electricity through micro hydro power unit installed in

Glaciers’ stream for 9 months of the year.

d) Biomass

Sources

Energy harnessed from aerobic and anaerobic digestion, incarnation etc done with biodegradable

and organic waste

Advantages

It helps in solid waste management

It helps to reuse the gases generated from the decomposition of organic waste


6/6

Disadvantages

Costly to build.

Need more attention on operation and maintenance

In India:

In Karnataka village’s people are shifting from firewood to biogas for clean cooking. Most of the villagers

produce biogas in their own compound form cow dung.

India has renewable energy resources in abundance and the most impressive initiative is in Bihar,

generating electricity from rice husk. Husk power system was found in rural Bihar. These power plants are

modest establishments, electricity is generated from the gas produced from the rice husk in the machine.

Husk power systems provide electricity for 6 to 7 hours each evening to about 100,000 people across 125

villages using only rice husk.

renewable versus non renewable energy

Documents