Energy is defined as the ability to do work. According to The law of conservation of energy energy can neither be created nor destroyed - only converted from one form of energy to another.
Energy is obtained from many sources like Sun, wind, oil, coal etc.
Energy conservation
Energy conservation can be broadly defined as the efficient use of energy. The reduction or elimination of unnecessary or unwanted energy use is referred to as energy conservation. It can be accomplished by using less energy to perform a given amount of work.
Classification of Energy
1) Primary and Secondary Energy
Primary Energy – The energy which is obtained directly from natural resources is called Primary energy. For example Coal, Solar energy, crude oil, etc.
Secondary Energy- The energy which is obtained from primary energy resources is known as secondary energy. For example electricity, petrol diesel etc.
2) Commercial and Non Commercial Energy
Commercial Energy The sources of energy which are used by the people for commercial purposes. The use of commercial source of energy can be used as an indicator of economic development of the country. Coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydro-electricity are the major commercial sources of energy.
Non- Commercial Energy
The sources of energy which are used by the people for home consumption. The
use of non-commercial source of energy can be used an indicator of living
standard of the country. Fire wood, charcoal, cow-dung and agriculture waste
are the major non-commercial sources of energy
3) Renewable and Non renewable Energy
Renewable Energy– The energy which is obtained from sources that cannot be depleted over time. They are always available and thus could be reused.
For example Solar energy , wind energy , geo thermal energy, tidal energy, etc.
Non Renewable Energy- The energy which is obtained from sources that can be depleted over time because they are limited.
For example Fossil fuels like coal, petrol, diesel etc.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is a powerful source of energy that can be used to heat, cool, and light homes and businesses. It is also renewable and clean energy. India is committed to reducing the country's dependence on fossil fuels and transitioning towards a greener future, and the growth of the solar sector plays a crucial role in achieving this goal
Importance of Solar energy
- A limitless source of energy: Unlike conventional sources of energy like fossil fuels, solar energy is limitless.
- Clean source of energy: Solar energy is a non-polluting source of energy.
- No fuel required: Solar energy is itself the fuel: Once installed, solar energy becomes a cheap source of sustainable energy in the long run.
- Low maintenance cost.
Recently, India achieved the 5th global position in solar power deployment by surpassing Italy. Various schemes to encourage the generation of solar power have been launched in the country like Solar Park Scheme, Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme, etc
Challenges of solar energy
- Lack of Domestic Manufacturing of Solar Parts: The domestic manufacturing industry of solar PV cells and modules is severely lacking in India due to the lack of infrastructure, skilled workforce and high cost of production.
- Space Scarcity: Another part of the major Solar Energy Challenges in India is the scarcity of land to install large-scale ground-mount solar systems, solving which scope for greater R&D and innovation could be increased tenfold in terms of installation.
- Financing Mechanism: The absence of innovative financing options for installing large-scale solar PV parks is another big part of Solar Energy Challenges in India.
- High Initial Costs: Despite recent reductions in the cost of solar panel technology, the upfront cost of installation remains high, which can be a barrier to adoption for many households and businesses.
Capacity Factor
The capacity factor is the ratio of actual electrical energy output over a given period of time to the theoretical maximum electrical energy output over that period.
Energy Type Capacity Factor(%)
Solar Energy Plant 10-25%
Wind energy Plant 25%
Hydro Energy Plant 40%
Coal Energy Plant 50-60%
Nuclear Energy Plant 90%
Energy Scenario in India
India’s energy demand is rising due to increase in population and economic development. India is major energy producer and also energy consumer. India is 11th largest energy producer and 3rd largest energy consumer in the world.
Energy supply in India :-
Coal- Coal dominates the energy mix in India, contributing to 55% of the total primary energy production. India has huge coal reserves. This amounts to almost 8.6% of the world reserves. India is 4th largest producer of coal and lignite. Largest coal producer states are Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand etc.
Oil- Oil accounts for about 36 % of India's total energy consumption. India imports 70% of its crude needs mainly from gulf nations. The majority of India's roughly 5.4 billion barrels in oil reserves are located in the Bombay High, upper Assam, Cambay, Krishna-Godavari.
Natural Gas
Natural gas accounts for about 8.9 per cent of energy consumption in the country. Natural gas reserves are estimated at 660 billion cubic meters. India ranks 14th in the world for natural gas consumption. India's natural gas reserves are found in Bombay High basin and in Gujarat.
Electricity
India is 6th largest electricity consumer in world.
Nuclear Power Supply
Nuclear Power contributes to about 2.4 per cent of electricity generated in India. India has ten nuclear power reactors at five nuclear power stations producing electricity. More nuclear reactors have also been approved for construction.