1. The general definition of a mineral is a substance which encompasses the following criterias
1. Naturally occurring
2. Stable at room temperature
3. Represented by a chemical formula
4. Usually abiogenic (Non Organic)
5. Ordered atomic arrangement
Distribution of Mineral Resources in India
In India the distribution of minerals has not been even. These are mainly confined in the
peninsular region of the country leaving aside the Northern Great Plains and the Himalayan
region almost devoid of minerals. Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa,
Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu states have large potentials of mineral
resources in the country.
Most of the deposits of iron ore found in the Achaean rocks of Orissa, Jharkhand,
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu; of manganese in Madhya
Pradesh, Orissa and Maharashtra; of mica in Jharkhand, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan
and Karnataka; of bauxite in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat;
of cyanide in Jharkhand, Bihar; and sillimanite in Meghalaya.
The states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and
Genetic West Bengal are deficient in mineral resources.
Mineral Belts
Following mineral belts may be clearly identified in the country:
1. Chota Nagpur Belt-this belt is associated with north-eastern part of the Peninsula
incorporating the states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal. It mainly consists of
ancient gneisses and granites and constitutes the richest mineralised zone of the country. The
region abounds in coal, mica, manganese, chromites, limonite, bauxite, phosphate, iron ore,
copper, dolomite, china-clay and limestone.
It contains about 100% reserves of cyanide, 93% of iron ore, 84% of coal, 70% of chromites,
70% of mica, 50% of fire clay, 45% of asbestos, 45% of china clay, 20% of limestone and
10% of manganese. Important mineral producing districts include Singhbhum, Hazaribag,
Munger, Dhanbad, Ranchi, Palamau and Santhal Paragana (in Jharkhand), Sambalpur,
Koraput, Keonjhar,Cuttack,Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal and Sundargarh (in Orissa); and
Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia and Medinipur (in West Bengal) and Munger (in Bihar).
2. Midland Belt-this belt stretches over the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra
Pradesh and Maharashtra. This belt produces most of the manganese ore, bauxite, mica,
copper, graphite, limestone, lignite marble and limestone.
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2. 3. Southern Belt-this belt includes Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states where gold, iron ore,
chromites, manganese, lignite, mica, bauxite, gypsum, asbestos, dolomite, limonite, china
clay and limestone are important minerals.
4. Western Belt-it incorporates the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The belt is
potentially very rich mineral area. It is rich in non- ferrous metals holding promise for
copper, lead, zinc, uranium, mica, manganese, asbestos, salt, building stones, precious stones,
natural gas and petroleum.
5. South-Western Belt-this belt extends over Karnataka, Goa and Kerala. It contains
deposits of limonite, zircon, monazite sands, garnet, china clay, iron ore, bauxite, mica,
limestone and soapstone.
6. Himalayan Belt-The Himalayan rocks pre-1 serve valuable minerals in pockets and vaults
of 'stratigraphic faults'. Copper, lead, zinc, bismuth, antimony, nickel, cobalt, tungsten,
precious stones, gold and silver are known to occur at different places. Among these mention
may be made of Almora magnetite, Satna limestone, Taradevi pyrite, Salal bauxite, Ramban
gypsum, Parmandal betonies, and Missouri phosphorus. Coal deposits are found in the sub-
Himalaya of eastern regions. Hydrocarbons are found in Assam and Meghalaya and natural
gas in Himachal Pradesh foothills. Extensive deposits of cement and blast-furnace grade
limestone and dolomite are present in the Triassic-Jurassic rocks of Kashmir, Shali belt
(Himachal Pradesh), Krol formation (Uttaranchal) and Buxa group (Eastern Himalaya).
7. The Indian Ocean-The Indian Ocean is also a good source of minerals. Besides the avail-
ability of petroleum and natural gas in the off shore areas along the western and the eastern
coasts the seabed contains manganese nodules, phosphorite nodules and barium sulphate
concretions.
The manganese nodules are of high grade ore quality (manganese 25%, iron 18%). The best
quality nodules are found in water depths of more than 4,000 m. Phosphorite nodules (P205
30%) are mainly found near the Andaman Islands and may be utilised in ferrtilizer industry.
The Arabian Sea is richer in phosphate than the Bay of Bengal. Barium sulphate concretions
have been dredged from about 1,235 m off Colombo in the Indian Ocean in 1880s.
These concretions contain over 75% barium sulphate, manganese;, calcium, barium,
aluminum, iron, silicon, titanium, sodium, potassium, chromium, monazite, limonite,
magnetite and garnet.
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3. A metallic mineral has a distinctive, shiny, metallic luster. Metallic minerals such as gold and silver are
also economic minerals. These are valued as beautifully collectible pieces and also for their potential
industrial use.
Rocks, minerals, and select naturally occurring and synthetic materials of economic value, exclusive of
fuel and metallic ore minerals. The select materials include peat, mineral-derived materials such as lime
and cement, and synthetic versions of gemstones, abrasives, graphite, and calcite. Generally, non-
metallic minerals undergo no chemical or mineralogical alteration for and in their end-uses; are low-
price, high-volume commodities such as construction materials; are higher-priced and large-volume
commodities that are raw materials in the chemical and agricultural industry; and very high price but
very low volume materials such as gemstones. A characteristic of non-metallic minerals is that, in most
cases, they maintain their form and physical properties through processing to final end use.
In metallurgy, a non-ferrous mineral is any metal that is not ferrous, including alloys, that does not
contain iron in appreciable amounts. Generally more expensive than ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals
are used because of desirable properties such as low weight (e.g., aluminium), higher conductivity (e.g.,
copper), non-magnetic property or resistance to corrosion (e.g., zinc). Some non-ferrous materials are
also used in the iron and steel industries. For example, bauxite is used as flux for blast furnaces, while
others such as wolframite, pyrolusite and chromite are used in making ferrous alloys.
A ferrous mineral is a metal primarily made of iron and other metals to give the correct properties
Iron is often referred to as a ferrous metal, but the word ferrous really refers to compounds containing
iron. Compounds containing iron having a valance of +2 are ferrous; those compounds containing iron
having a valence of +3 are ferric.
In a more general sense, ferrous metals are metals or metal alloys that contain the element iron. Steel,
for example, is a ferrous metal, and there are a number of other alloys that contain iron. Use the link
below for more information.
all ferrous metals are magnetic and contain a small amount of other metals to provide the correct
properties
India's domestic uranium reserves are small and the country is dependent on uranium imports to fuel its
nuclear power industry.
Large deposits of natural uranium, which promises to be one of the top 20 of the world's reserves, have
been found in the Tummalapalle belt in the southern part of the Kadapa basin in Andhra Pradesh in
March 2011. The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) of India, which
explores uranium in the country. A prototype reactor that would burn Uranium-Plutonium fuel while
irradiating a thorium blanket is under construction at theMadras/Kalpakkam Atomic Power Station.
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4. 4

5. 5

6. 6

7. Unit - III
06. Sources of Energy
I. Minerals and Power Resources : 1 state-1 district-2 places
1 east-1 west
Oldest + Largest
Exports
Rank of India in the world
Total Installed Capacity (October 2012) Percentage
Coal 57.38
Hydroelectricity 18.77
Renewable energy source 11.94
Gas 9.03
Nuclear 2.28
Oil 0.57
a) Iron ore
India has a large number of economically useful minerals and they
constitute one-quarter of the world's known mineral resources. About two-
thirds of its iron deposits lies in a belt along Odisha and Bihar border.
Other haemaite deposits are found in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka,
Maharastra and Goa. Magnetite iron-ore is found in Tamilnadu, Bihar and
Himachal.
b) Manganese
Next to Russia, India has the largest supply of Manganese. The manganese
mining areas are Madhya Pradesh (Balaghat), Rajasthan (Banaswara)
c) Mica
India also produces third quarters of the world's mica. Belts of high quality
mica are, Jharkhand (Giridh and Koderma), Andhra (Nellore) and
Rajasthan (Bhilwara)
d) Petroleum
India had about 125 Million metric tonne of proven oil reserves as April
2010 or 5.62 billion barrels as per EIA estimate for 2009, which is the
second-largest amount in the Asia-Pacific region behind China. Most of
India's crude oil reserves are located in the western coast (Mumbai High)
and in the northeastern parts of the country, although considerable
undeveloped reserves are also located in the offshore Bay of Bengal and in
the state of Rajasthan.
In 2010, India produced an average of about 33.69 million metric tonne of
crude oil as on April 2010
India’s oil sector is dominated by state-owned enterprises, although the
government has taken steps in past recent years to deregulate the
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8. hydrocarbons industry and support greater foreign involvement. India’s
state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation is the largest oil company.
ONGC is the leading player in India’s upstream sector, accounting for
roughly 75% of the country’s oil output during 2006, as per Indian
government estimates.
e) Coal
India has the world's largest deposits of coal. Bituminous coal is found in
Jharia and Bokaro in Jharkhand and Ranigunj in West Bengal. Lignite
coals are found in Neyveli in Tamilnadu.
f) Nuclear power resources
Nuclear power is the fourth-largest source of electricity in India after
thermal, hydroelectric and renewable sources of electricity. As of 2012,
India has 20 nuclear reactors in operation in six nuclear power plants,
generating 4,780 MW. while seven other reactors are under construction
and are expected to generate an additional 5,300 mw.
g) Nuclear power generation
Nuclear power plants
Currently, twenty nuclear power reactors produce 4,780.00 MW (2.9% of
total installed base).
Power station Operator State Type
Kaiga NPCIL Karnataka
Kakrapar NPCIL Gujarat
Kalpakkam NPCIL Tamil Nadu
Narora NPCIL Uttar Pradesh
Rawatbhata NPCIL Rajasthan
Tarapur NPCIL Maharashtra
The projects under construction are:
Power station Operator State
Kudankulam NPCIL Tamil Nadu
Kalpakkam Bhavini Tamil Nadu
Kakrapar NPCIL Gujarat
Rawatbhata NPCIL Rajasthan
h) Thermal power generation
Thermal power is the largest source of power in India.There are different
types of Thermal power plants based on the fuel used to generate the
steam such as coal, gas, Diesel etc. About 75% of electricity consumed in
india are generated by Thermal power plants.
More than 50% of India's commercial energy demand is met through the
country's vast coal reserves. Public sector undertaking National Thermal
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9. Power Corporation and several other state level power generating
companies are engaged in operating coal based Thermal Power
Plants.Apart from NTPC and other state level operators, some private
companies are also operating the power plants.
Name Operator Location District State/Sector Region
NTPC Dadri NTPC Vidyutnagar Gautam Budh Nagar Uttar Pradesh/Central Northern
Talcher Thermal
Power Station NTPC Talcher Angul Orissa/Central Eastern
Neyveli Thermal
Power Station – I,NLC Neyveli Cuddalore Tamilnadu/Central Southern
Vindhyachal Super
Thermal Power Station
NTPC, Vindhya Nagar Singrauli Madhya Pradesh/Central
Western
i) Hydel power generation
India was the 7th largest producer of hydroelectric power in 2008 after
Norway, and 3.5% the world total in 2008. The potential for hydroelectric
power in India is one of the greatest in the world.
In this system of power generation, the potential of the water falling under
gravitational force is utilized to rotate a turbine which again is coupled to
a Generator, leading to generation of electricity. India is one of the
pioneering countries in establishing hydro-electric power plants. The
power plants at Darjeeling and Shimsha (Shivanasamudra) were
established in 1898 and 1902 respectively and are among the first in Asia.
Refer to hydro power projects.
II. Conventional Energy Sources (fossil fuel and firewood) :
FIREWOOD
Firewood is any wooden material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood
is not highly processed and is in some sort of recognizable log or branch form.
Being a tropical country India is a store house of firewood resources. Some of the species
include, Acacia, babool, Saru etc.
But Firewood is a renewable resource. However, demand for this fuel can outpace its
ability to regenerate on local and regional level. For example in some places in the world
and through history, the demand has led to desertification.
Wood combustion products can include toxic and carcinogenic substances.
Smoke, containing water vapor, carbon dioxide and other chemicals and aerosol
particulates, can be an irritating (and potentially dangerous) by-product of partially burnt
wood fuel. A major component of wood smoke is fine particles that may account for a
large portion of particulate air pollution
Firewood is a renewable resource. However, demand for this fuel can outpace its ability
to regenerate on local and regional level. For example in some places in the world and
through history, the demand has led to desertification. Good forestry practices and
improvements in devices that use firewood can improve the local wood supplies.
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10. Indian potential
Limitations
Methods of harnessing
Environmental consequences
a) Fossil fuels :
1. Coal :
(i) Thermal power
(ii) How much coal is left?
India 60.6 Billion tonnes
(iii)Issues with thermal power :
1. Global warming
2. Thermal pollution in waters
Ash pond decant contains harmful heavy metals like B, As, Hg which have a tendency to leach
out over a period of time. Due to this the ground water gets polluted and becomes unsuitable for
domestic use.
3. Fly ash
Fly ash is one of the residues generated in combustion. It contains trace concentrations of heavy
metals and other substances that are known to be detrimental to health in sufficient quantities.
4. Atmospheric pollution
The main emissions from coal combustion at thermal power plants are carbon dioxide (CO),
nitrogen oxides (NO), sulfur oxides (SO), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and air- borne inorganic
particles such as fly ash, soot, and other trace gas species. Carbon dioxide, methane, and
chlorofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases. These emissions are considered to be responsible for
heating up the atmosphere,producing a harmful global environment.
5. Others
The exposure of employees to high noise levels is very high in the coal based thermal power
plant.
Large area of land is required for coal based thermal power plant. Due to this, natural soil
properties changes. It becomes more alkaline due to the alkaline nature of flyash.
2. Petroleum :
(i) Petrol
(ii) Diesel
Diesel fuel, the kind of fuel commonly used in commercial trucks, has not always been more
expensive. Diesel fuel is a less refined petroleum distillate than gasoline, so it should always be
cheaper to produce than gasoline. The problem with diesel fuel prices has more to do with the
laws of supply and demand for various petroleum products, not the actual cost of production.
(iii)LPG
Liquefied petroleum gas, also called LPG, GPL, LP Gas, liquid petroleum gas or simply propane
or butane, is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and
vehicles. It is increasingly used as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant, replacing
chlorofluorocarbons in an effort to reduce damage to the ozone layer. When specifically used as
a vehicle fuel it is often referred to as autogas.
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11. Uses
Rural heating, Motor fuel, Refrigeration and Cooking
Fourth largest consumer of LPG in the world after USA, China & Japan
(iv) Non-renewable resource
(v) Expensive
3. Firewood, Agricultural waste and Animal waste for Heating and
cooking
Converting animal and plant waste into energy can be a
triple-hitter: It not only helps reduce waste going to
landfills or from being released as gas into the atmosphere,
but saves energy and money. Waste materials – ranging
from animal manure for methane to wood chips for direct
heat to waste vegetable oil for straight use or conversion to
biodiesel – also have a positive energy and carbon balance.
That is, more energy is derived from the fuel than is spent
converting it. Therefore, no net CO2 is generated.
III. Non-Conventional Energy Sources : Indian potential
Advantages and Limitations
Methods of harnessing
Environmental consequences
Need to promote
a) Biomass
b) Solar
c) Wind
d) Ocean
e) Hydel
f) Geothermal
g) Nuclear
BIOMASS
The harnessing of energy from biological mass (biomass) is a simple process. The waste wood
and other sources are gathered in big trucks. The waste is then transported to a biomass plant.
Here, the waste is fed into furnaces where it is burned. The heat created is used to boil water and
the energy from the steam is used to rotate turbines and generators.
Environmental Impact:- Using biomass as a fuel produces air pollution in the form of carbon
monoxide, carbon dioxide, NOx (nitrogen oxides), VOCs (volatile organic compounds),
particulates and other pollutants, in some cases at levels above those from traditional fuel sources
such as coal or natural gas
SOLAR ENERGY
The best thing about solar energy in terms of its environmental effects is that it produces almost
no carbon emissions or greenhouse gases. It doesn't burn oil, it doesn't produce toxic waste, and
its lack of moving parts reduces the chances of an environmentally devastating accident to nil.
Indeed, the only pollutants which factor into solar power are those involved in the construction
and transportation of its parts; that ranks it among the cleanest forms of energy on Earth.
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12. WIND ENERGY
Equipment Used In Wind Power Generation
Wind turbines are the individual components of wind farms, and they are machinery composed
of several main parts. The first part is the rotor, also known as the blades or the propeller, and
this is the part of the turbine that actually collects the wind energy and converts it into drive
energy, which then turns a shaft.
Advantages & Disadvantages Of Wind Energy
There are a range of advantages and disadvantages of wind energy to look at, including the
many problems associated with wind turbines.
In this day and age, the world needs to look at the different natural energy sources available to
us. Global warming could be due our energy craving lifestyle, so we should look into more
environmentally friendly energy sources.
Advantages:
Wind energy is friendly to the surrounding environment, as no fossil fuels are burnt to
generate electricity from wind energy.
Wind turbines take up less space than the average power station. Windmills only have to
occupy a few square meters for the base, this allows the land around the turbine to be
used for many purposes, for example agriculture.
Newer technologies are making the extraction of wind energy much more efficient. The
wind is free, and we are able to cash in on this free source of energy.
Wind turbines are a great resource to generate energy in remote locations, such as
mountain communities and remote countryside. Wind turbines can be a range of different
sizes in order to support varying population levels.
Another advantage of wind energy is that when combined with solar electricity, this
energy source is great for developed and developing countries to provide a steady,
reliable supply of electricity.
Disadvantages:
The main disadvantage regarding wind power is down to the winds unreliability factor. In
many areas, the winds strength is too low to support a wind turbine or wind farm, and this
is where the use of solar power or geothermal power could be great alternatives.
Wind turbines generally produce allot less electricity than the average fossil fuelled
power station, requiring multiple wind turbines to be built in order to make an impact.
Wind turbine construction can be very expensive and costly to surrounding wildlife
during the build process.
The noise pollution from commercial wind turbines is sometimes similar to a small jet
engine. This is fine if you live miles away, where you will hardly notice the noise, but
what if you live within a few hundred meters of a turbine? This is a major disadvantage.
Protests and/or petitions usually confront any proposed wind farm development. People
feel the countryside should be left in tact for everyone to enjoy it's beauty.
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13. Compared to the environmental impact of traditional energy sources, the environmental impact
of wind power is relatively minor. Unlike fossil fuel power sources Wind power consumes no
fuel, and emits no air pollution. The energy consumed to manufacture and transport the materials
used to build a wind power plant is equal to the new energy produced by the plant within a few
months. While a wind farm may cover a large area of land, many land uses such as agriculture
are compatible, with only small areas of turbine foundations and infrastructure made unavailable
for use.
OCEAN ENERGY
So far, engineers have developed and implemented several methods for collecting wave energy.
These methods can be implemented on the shoreline, near the shore or offshore. Most devices
that are near or offshore are anchored to the sea floor
Terminator: Wave energy devices oriented perpendicular to the direction of the wave, are
known as terminators. These terminators include a stationary component and a component that
moves in response to the wave. The "stationary" part could be fixed to the sea floor or shore. It
must remain still, in contrast to the movable part. The moving part works kind of like a piston
in car -- moving up and down. This motion pressurizes air or oil to drive a turbine.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the energy from ocean waves
Tidal power, is a form of wave power and shares a common group of issues and solutions. The
equipment mechanisms are similar and are still experimental. The environmental impact is
interchangeable.
The major difference between the two is the manner in which they retain the water to produce
power. Both mechanisms use a turbine which spins to create the power. Tides are much slower
and water is retained, while waves are fairly repeatable and storage of water is far lower.
Advantages:
Wave power is a renewable Energy Source.
Wave Energy Is a Clean Fuel.
Wave Energy is Environmentally Friendly - it doesn't destroy the environment.
There is plenty of it.
Tides/Waves are always predictable.
you can always produce a significant amount of energy.
you don't need fuel so it doesn't cost that much .
Waves are free and will not run out so the cost is in building the power station.
Wave power does not produce greenhouse gases.
There are very few safety risks with wave power generation.
Disadvantages
Harnessing the power of it is difficult.
it can cost a lot of money and requires further research.
If the whole tidal/wave energy scheme does get popular real estate will be losing money
for beach front houses since they will be using the beaches for the tidal/wind farms.
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14. It depends where you put it for the costs so not much good financially
May interfere with mooring and anchorage lines commercial and sport fishing.
Waves can be big or small so you may not always be able to generate electricity.
You need to find a way of transporting the electricity from the sea onto the land.
Not many people have tried to generate electricity this way yet so the equipment is
expensive.
It is believed that harnessing wave or tidal power will eventually slow the rotation speed
of the planet. It is currently believed that we could cause as much as a full day of loss to
our calenders every two thousand years by collecting enough energy from waves and
tides.
Environmental Impacts :- ► Impacts on habitats, species and the water column, and
effects of noise and electromagnetic fields are considered. ► Tidal barrages can cause
significant impacts on bird feeding areas when constructed at coastal estuaries or bays. ►
Wave energy collectors can alter water column and sea bed habitats locally and over
large distances.
HYDEL ENERGY
The combination of electrical generators and hydraulic turbines allows hydropower systems
to convert the potential energy of dammed or flowing water into storable electrical output.
Although this conversion relies on relatively simple mechanical properties, the system employed
to achieve it is often complex in its design and capabilities. Harnessing the motion of water to
power machines and mechanical processes is one of the oldest methods of power generation
currently in use. Today, there are thousands of hydropower plants in the United States, providing
a notable percentage of the country’s electricity supply.
Most hydroelectric power is derived from water moving downhill and flowing through a dam
where it causes a turbine to rotate, which in turn drives a electric generator. A large volume of
moving water can generate an enormous amount of force, and the ability to regulate the rate of
flow allows hydropower systems to channel the potential and kinetic energy involved.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HYDROPOWER
ADVANTAGES:
1. Once a dam is constructed, electricity can be produced at a constant rate.
2. If electricity is not needed, the sluice gates can be shut, stopping electricity generation. The water can
be saved for use another time when electricity demand is high.
3. Dams are designed to last many decades and so can contribute to the generation of electricity for
many years / decades.
4. The lake that forms behind the dam can be used for water sports and leisure / pleasure activities.
Often large dams become tourist attractions in their own right.
5. The lake's water can be used for irrigation purposes.
6. The build up of water in the lake means that energy can be stored until needed, when the water is
released to produce electricity.
7. When in use, electricity produced by dam systems do not produce green house gases. They do not
pollute the atmosphere.
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15. DISADVANATGES:
1. Dams are extremely expensive to build and must be built to a very high standard.
2. The high cost of dam construction means that they must operate for many decades to become
profitable.
3. The flooding of large areas of land means that the natural environment is destroyed.
4. People living in villages and towns that are in the valley to be flooded, must move out. This means
that they lose their farms and businesses. In some countries, people are forcibly removed so that hydro-
power schemes can go ahead.
5. Although modern planning and design of dams is good, in the past old dams have been known to be
breached (the dam gives under the weight of water in the lake). This has led to deaths and flooding.
6. Dams built blocking the progress of a river in one country usually means that the water supply from
the same river in the following country is out of their control. This can lead to serious problems
between neighbouring countries.
7. Building a large dam alters the natural water table level. For example, the building of the Aswan
Dam in Egypt has altered the level of the water table. This is slowly leading to damage of many of its
ancient monuments as salts and destructive minerals are deposited in the stone work from ‘rising damp’
caused by the changing water table level.
GEO THERMAL ENERGY
As we progress towards a new millenium of using cleaner and renewable alternative resources,
geothermal energy is one of the cleanest and most efficient source of energy. By harnessing the
steam from underground water heated by the Earth's magma at volcanic areas, this steam can be
used to drive turbines in geothermal power stations to produce electricity for domestic and
industrial use.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:-
Fluids drawn from the deep earth carry a mixture of gases, notably carbon dioxide (CO2),
hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3). These pollutants contribute to
global warming, acid rain, and noxious smells if released. Existing geothermal electric plants
emit an average of 122 kilograms (270 lb) of CO2 per megawatt-hour (MW·h) of electricity, a
small fraction of the emission intensity of conventional fossil fuel plants
NUCLEAR ENERGY
Nuclear energy is produced by the release of heat from unstable elements such as Uranium.
The energy is harnessed by using the energy to heat water. The radioactive water is than pumped
through a heat exchanger where the 'dirty water' is used to heat 'clean' water. The clean water can
then be used to drive turbines and other forms of engine.
Non Conventional Energy
In India, non-conventional energy sources consist of those energy sources that are infinite,
natural, and restorable. For example, tidal energy, solar energy, and wind energy are
nonconventional sources of energy. Fascinatingly, the application of tidal energy and wind
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16. energy was operational in the form of energy sources long back when mineral oil, coal, and
natural gas were not broadly introduced as conventional sources of energy.
In the beginning, windmills were utilized for taking out water and pounding grains. Running
water and wind were applied for direction finding. Currently, some of the important and widely
used non conventional sources of energy are tides, wind, solar geothermal heat, and biomass
comprising animal waste, agricultural waste, and human body waste. For example, disposals
from big metropolitan areas can work as a source of producing biogas. All these non
conventional energy sources are unlimited or restorable and are essentially quite economical.
Some of the India non conventional energy sources are given below -
Tidal Energy
Tidal energy is a limitless and renewable source of energy. For producing electrical power from
tidal energy, dams are built close to estuaries to make use of inward and outward water currents
and surges. Subsequently, the water is used to power turbines to generate electricity via the usage
of water. The tidal surge has to be minimum seven meters for cost-effective performance. In the
state of Gujarat, the Gulf of Kutch is an appropriate place for electrical energy from the energy
generated by tall and powerful tides moving into small brooks.
Wind Energy
Wind energy is a popular form of non-conventional energy. It is utilized for drawing water,
which is an essential requirement in watering agricultural lands in the rural areas. In addition, it
can be utilized for electricity generation. In India, states like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Orissa, and
Maharashtra are regarded as superior areas with respect to this type of energy. Places that have
regular and rapid wind flows are appropriate for this kind of power generation. Other than
windmills, wind farms are there as well.
The installed capacity of wind power in India till December 2010 was 13,065.37 MW,
principally distributed throughout:
Maharashtra - 1837.85 MW
Tamil Nadu - 4132.72 MW
Rajasthan - 670.97 MW
Karnataka - 1184.45 MW
Andhra Pradesh - 122.45 MW
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17. Gujarat - 1432.71 MW
Kerala - 23.00 MW
Madhya Pradesh - 187.69 MW
West Bengal - 1.10 MW
Other states - 3.20 MW
Solar Energy
The sun is the most abundant and unlimited source of energy. The sun functions as a global
source of energy and has tremendous potential. As a result, solar energy is one of the most
important non conventional sources of energy that are utilized in India. The solar cookers are
quite economical and they have been a remarkable invention. These cookers assist in food
preparation nearly without any expenditure. Additionally, many tiny and medium-scale solar
power plants have been intended for the countryside areas in India. Until now, some of the
effective usages of solar energy include water heating, food preparation, area heating, removal of
salt from water, and drying of harvest. Furthermore, it has been forecasted that solar energy will
become the future source of energy while fossil fuels, specifically oil and coal, would be
completely used up. Solar photovoltaic systems, solar thermal systems, and solar energy centre
are some of the means of generating solar energy. The biggest photovoltaic (PV) power plants of
India are as follows:
Gandhinagar Solar Plant - Installed January 21, 2011
Thyagaraj Stadium Plant-Delhi - Installed April, 2010
Azure Power, Sabarkantha Gujarat - Installed June 2011
Tata - Mulshi, Maharashtra April 2011 - Installed April 2011
Tata - Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu - Installed July 2011
Moser Baer - Patan, Gujarat - Installed July 2011
TATA - Osmanabad, Maharastra - Installed 1st Aug 2011
REHPL - Sadeipali, (Bolangir) Orissa - Installed July 2011
Techniques to generate Non Conventional Source of Energy in India
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18. Thermal energy/Geo-thermal energy
Geothermal energy is the application of natural temperature, which prevails on the exterior and
below the earth, predominantly in the fissures and holes within the outer shell of the earth.
Geothermal energy can be productively utilized for different objectives. The country is not
affluent in thermal energy resource. Nonetheless, endeavors are on for the total exploitation of
natural energy of the Manikaran thermal springs in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Energy
generated from this can be applied for operating cold storage plants.
Biomass
Biomass is an important source of energy which represents approximately 33% of the overall
volume of fuel used in the country. It is broadly utilized in domestic circles for preparing food
and warming. In countryside areas, farming disposables, timber, wood coal, and sunbaked
droppings can be used as biomass. Many initiatives have been taken in India to make the right
use of biomass in essentially a successful and more systematic way. The two principal segments
of the biomass program are generation and usage of biomass. Smoke-free ambience, improved
healthcare, and better quality of life and education are some of the salient benefits of biomass.
Energy Plantation
In India, barren areas are utilized for cultivation of plants and bushes that tend to spread quickly
and have significant heat generating characteristics. Successively, they render wood coal, fuel
wood, power, hay, and most notably opportunities for agricultural service. With the gasification
plan, these energy plantations spanning approximately 8,000 hectares were generating almost 1.5
MW power every year.
Bagasse Oriented Power Plants
It was projected that Indian sugar mills have the capacity of generating over 2,000 MW
additional electrical energy at the time of the grinding period. The energy generated by a sugar
mill would initially fulfill its own energy needs and the remaining can be used in watering
farming areas by supplying it into the local power system. Similar to bagasse, various other
agricultural disposables like rice husk are also used for generating electrical energy in the
country.
Energy from Urban disposables
In Delhi, a pilot plant for the intention of displaying has been established for processing hard
municipal disposables for switching into energy. Urban disposables generate a significant
volume of energy annually. In addition, wastes in metropolitan areas are utilized for generating
electrical energy and gas.
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19. Animal, Agricultural, and Human Excretions
With the usage of agricultural and animal excretions over and above human body wastes, a
number of `Gobar Gas` plants have been built in many rural areas to make them self-reliant in
their energy requirements. The energy generated in this way is utilized for food preparation,
lighting roads and houses, and satisfying the water supply requirements of the rural community.
The plants have been established both at private and group levels.
Last but not least, the largest percentage of energy is used in the household kitchens of India.
Cow dung and wood are regarded as global sources of energy. Unfortunately, the conventional
`chulhas` are uneconomical modes of preparing food. The better categories of effective and
smoke-free chulhas assist in protecting wood fuel. These are some of the most well known and
extensively utilized non-conventional sources of energy in India.
Importance of non-conventional sources of energy:
1. The non-conventional sources of energy are abundant in nature. According to energy experts
the non-conventional energy potential of India is estimated at about 95,000 MW.
2. These are renewable resources. The non-conventional sources of energy can be renewed with
minimum effort and money.
3. Non-conventional sources of energy are pollution-free and eco-friendly
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