RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES IN INDIA - AN OVERVIEW..

BY-MUKESH KUMAR VARMA, LECTURER (ELECTRICAL ENGG.) G.B.PANT POLYTECHNIC, OKHLA, NEWDELHI

Energy is a basic need of human beings of the modern society. Energy is the prime source of all socio-economic activities of human society. Our automobiles, trains and planes are fuelled almost exclusively by petroleum products. We run our factories, power our transportation and light our cities, communicated over a distance, operate electronics gadgets-computer etc. with fossil fuel used to generate electricity. Electrical energy becomes a part and parcel of our daily life. The electrical energy consumption of the world has been increasing with industrial growth. The average per capita consumption of energy in India is around 500 watts, which is much lower than the developed countries like USA, Europe, Australia, Japan etc. India is facing an acute energy scarcity which is hampering its industrial growth and economic progress. Setting up of new power plants is inevitably dependent on import of highly volatile fossil fuels. Thus, it is essential to tackle the energy crisis through judicious utilization of abundant the renewable energy resources. At present fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas provides th of the world energy need, but their reserves have limited stocks also International crude oil prices have risen about 40 % in 2013, that oil prices seen since the early 2004s. Nuclear energy raised hopes but it has great concern about safety, cost, waste disposal and its sustainability. The developing countries like India, Their economies are more dependent on imported oil. Today, there is a strong need to search for new alternative energy sources. India Government has been taking the decisive steps to move ahead and tap the immense potential for renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, Biomass, small hydro etc. which are abundant in the country. Growth in net electricity consumption is expected to be most rapid among the emerging Economies of the world, including India. According to the EIA, the annual average increase will be about 4.0 percent from 2002 to 2025. Emerging economies are projected to more than double their net electricity consumption, from 4,645 billion kilowatt hours in 2002 to 11,554 billion in 2025. The projected growth in net electricity consumption for emerging market economies is driven in large part by gross domestic product (GDP) and population growth assumption. Because of the links between reliable electricity supply, GDP growth, and living Standards, many of the nations with emerging economies are attempting to increase access to reliable electricity supply. The present contribution of various energy resources in the world is shown in figure. The future belongs to renewable energy, while renewable energy is generally more expensive than conventionally produced supplies; alternative power helps to reduce pollution and to conserve fossil fuels.

This paper provides an overview of Present Indian scenario of renewable energy sources. India is perceived as a developing country, but it is developing at a pace that is not matched by many others. We have experienced significant economic growth but India is facing an acute energy scarcity which is hampering its industrial growth and economic progress. Although we have seen an impressive increase in installed capacity addition, from barely about 1,350 MW at the time of independence (1947) to about 160,000 MW today, over 90,000 MW of new generation capacity is required in the next seven years. A corresponding investment is required in transmission and distribution. Setting up of new power plants is inevitably dependent on import of highly volatile fossil fuels. In India, Renewable energy development programme has emerged as a viable option to achieve the goal of sustainable development. India today stands among the top five countries in the world in terms of renewable energy capacity. We have an installed base of over 15 GW, which is around 9% of Indias total power generation capacity and contributes over 3% in the electricity mix. The Sun is the ultimate source of energy. The National Action Plan on Climate Change in June 2008 identified the development of solar energy technologies in the country as a priority item to be pursued as a National Mission. In November 2009, the Government of India approved the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. The Mission aims to enable 20,000 MW of solar energy to be deployed in India by 2022 by providing an enabling policy framework. Biomass, which is an eco-friendly source for production of electricity, also holds considerable promise for India. Our estimates indicate that, with the present utilization pattern of crop residues, the amount of surplus biomass materials is about 150 million tones, which could generate about 16,000 MW of power. Hydro projects up to 25 MW capacities are termed as small hydro, and this energy stream has a potential of over 15,000 MW. At present, a capacity addition of about 300 MW per year is being achieved from small hydro projects about 70% is coming through the private sector. So far, hydropower projects with a capacity of over 2,700 MW have been set up in the country, and projects for about 900 MW are in various stages of implementation. The aim is to double the current growth rate, and take it to a capacity addition of 500 MW per year in next two-three years. Unique in the world, India has the only Ministry that is dedicated to the development of renewable energies: the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. This bodes well for the acceleration of renewable development throughout the nation -- both to meet the underserved Needs of millions of rural residents and the growing demand of an energy hungry economy. This article is meant only as an overview in hopes that it will encourage even more rapid and Extensive development of the renewable energy resources on the Indian subcontinent. Reference- (1) Alternative sources of energy Source: India Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, www.geni.org (2) www.ireda.gov.in (3) www.mnre.gov.in (4) www. edugreen.teri.res.in