Unit – I

INTRODUCTION

Syllabus
Primary energy sources, renewable vs. non-renewable primary energy sources,
renewable energy resources in India, Current usage of renewable energy sources in
India, future potential of renewable energy in power production and development of
renewable energy technologies.

Introduction
Energy plays a very important role in our lives, providing comfort, increasing
productivity and allowing us to live the way we want to. Nowadays, every activities are
depends on one or another form of energy. Among the various energy, the electrical energy
has become so important that almost in all walks of life electricity is required. For example
all electrical appliances in our homes and at our workplace require electricity. All the
industries and factories run on electricity. In simple terms we can say that anything out of
which usable energy can be extracted is a source of energy. There is a variety of sources that
provide us energy for different purposes. You must be familiar with coal, petrol, diesel
kerosene and natural gas. Similarly you must have also heard about hydroelectric power,
wind mills, solar panels, biomass etc.

Primary energy sources

Primary energy (PE) is the energy found in nature that has not been subjected to any
human engineered conversion process. It encompasses energy contained in raw fuels and
other forms of energy, including waste as input to a system. Primary energy can
be renewable or non-renewable.Primary energy sources take many forms, including nuclear
energy, fossil energy like oil, coal and natural gas and renewable sources like wind solar,
geothermal and hydropower.
These primary sources are converted to electricity, a secondary energy source,
which flows through power lines and other transmission infrastructure to your home and
business.
Convection energy sources
Convection energy sources are naturally present and have been in use for years. The
use of conventional sources is done for heating, lighting, cooking, running machinery, and
provision of electricity. The examples for which include firewood, fossil fuels, and others.
In addition, firewood has been extensively used for cooking purposes in remote regions of
India.
The fossil fuels are plants, and animal remains, which have been buried from
millions of years ago within the earth. These remains are decomposed and formed primary
energy sources like coal, petroleum, natural gas, etc.

Coal
Coal is the most important source of energy. In India, the annual production of coal
was 343 million tons during the year 2006. In the last three decades, the world switched
over from coal to oil, because it is simpler and cleaner to obtain useful energy from oil. Coal
is a complex mixture of compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Small amounts of
nitrogen and sulphur compounds are also present in coal. India is the fourth-largest coal-
producing country, and the deposits are primarily found in Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh,
Jharkhand and Bengal. It is considered as the backbone of the energy sector for its use in
industry, transportation and electric power generation. However, it is low in calorific value
and its transportation is expensive. Extensive use of coal as a source of energy is likely to
disturb the ecological balance of CO2.

Coal based power plant

The working principle of thermal power plant operation depends on Rankin Cycle.
In a thermal power plant, coal is coming from coal storage and burnt in the boiler. It
converts water into steam. This steam is expanded in the prime-mover (i.e. turbine) which
produces mechanical power driving the alternator coupled to the turbine. The steam is
expanded again the turbine and usually condensed in the condenser to be fed into the boiler.
But in real practice, the conversion of heat from coal combustion into electrical energy
needs some modern arrangements and improvements, in which it will run in proper
working efficiency. Here are some basic circuit arrangements of the modern thermal power
plant operation.

1. Fuel and Ash Circuit:-

The fuel (coal) is transported from supply points to power station by roads, rails or
water and is stored in coal storage plant. Generally, coal is delivered into power station by
rail wagon but in a case of small power plants, it may be transported by road or water. After
that this coal is stored in the coal storage plant. From the coal storage plant, it is conveyed to
the coal handling plant. In the coal handling plant, coal is pulverised (i.e. crushed into small
pieces) to increase its surface tension to help rapid combustion without using a large amount
of excess air. This pulverised coal is taken into boiler bunkers by conveyer belt. Coal is now
stored into the boiler bunker and fall into the hoppers by gravity. From the hopper, required
amount of coal either fall on the grate or fall into the coal spreaders. If it is fall to the coal
spreaders, maximum coal combustion is done in the air and remaining portion burnt at the
rear end of the grate. The grate is types of boiler, where combustion is controlled by its
speed. The grate is made a move from rear end to front end with the help of spreaders or
without spreaders; it is move from front to rear. The total coal combustion in the grate is
controlled by its speed. After complete combustion of coal, ash is delivered to the ash
storage plant by scrap conveyors for disposal. Generally, it is seen that a 100 MW power
plant which operates 10% to 12% load factor may burn 20,000 tons of coal per month and
ash is produced nearly 2000 to 3000 tons per month. The block diagram of thermal power
plant is shown in figure:

2. Air and Fuel Gas Circuit:-

The thermal power plant consists of a boiler and other auxiliary equipment which is
required to utilize the air and flue gases. In the above picture, it is seen that air is coming
from the atmosphere by a forced or induced draught fan through the air pre-heater. In the
air-preheater, air is heated by the heat of flue gases which passing to the chimney. This flue
gases are passing through boiler, super heater, air per heater and finally exhausted to the
atmosphere through the chimney. The boiler is an essential equipment of the thermal power
plant operation. In the boiler, heat is produced by coal combustion, is utilised to convert
water into steam at high pressure and temperature. The steam is the wet condition in the
boiler and it is converted dry and superheated condition by the flue gases when it is passed
through the superheater. Superheated steam means the steam temperature is above the
boiling point of water and this will provide added advantages to the turbine. This steam is
increased the overall efficiency of the turbine and protect the turbine's blade from corrosion.
Economiser and air preheater are such type of devices which extract the heat from flue gases
on their way to a chimney and increased the temperature of the feed water. Economiser is
basically a feed water heater which recovers heat from flue gases and increase the
temperature of the fed water before it is supplied to the boiler. Air is also supplied for the
coal burning. Air preheater also extracts the heat from flue gases when it is passed in it. Air
preheater increases the heat of air as well as improves the overall efficiency of the turbine. It
also increases the steam capacity per square meter of boiler surface. Now this dry and
superheated steam is fed to the blades of steam turbine through the main valve. Here steam
energy is converted to the mechanical energy.

3. Feed water and steam circuit:-

Condensed steam is coming out of the turbine and the condensate is extracted from
the condenser by the condensate extraction pump. Exhaust steam is passed through the low-
pressure feed water heater where its temperature is raised by the bled steam. The feed water
is now pumped by deaerator to high-pressure feed water heater where this feed water is
heated by the heat from bled steam extracted at suitable point of steam turbine. Deaerator is
to reduce dissolved oxygen content in the feed water. Feed water is pumped into the boiler
the boiler and it is passing through the economiser where it is heated by the heat of flue
gases. This will increase the overall efficiency. Some steam and water are lost when it is
passed through the different component of the system. Turbine is directly coupled to the
alternator which converts the mechanical energy of turbine into electrical energy and
delivers the electrical output to the bus bar.

4. Cooling water circuit:-

Cooling water is supplied from a natural source of supply such as river, channel,
sea, etc. This water is circulated through the condenser for condensing the steam. It will
increase the overall efficiency of the plant. The circulating water absorbs heat from the
exhaust steam and becomes hot. This hot water is coming out from the condenser and
discharged at a suitable position like a lake, river etc. To ensure the availability of cold
water throughout the year, a cooling tower is used. During the scarcity of water, hot water of
condenser is passed to the cooling tower where it is cooled. The circulation of cooling water
to the condenser is to maintain low pressure in the condenser.

Advantages
1. The fuel (i.e. coal) is used is quite cheap.
2. Less initial cost as compared to the other generating stations of the same capacity.
3. It requires less space as compared to the hydro-electric power station.
4. The cost of generation is lesser than the Diesel power station.
5. the load can be changed frequently without any difficulty.
6. Thermal Power plant can be installed
7. This type of plants is installed near load centre.
8. Thermal Power plant can be run with overload condition (around 25%).
Disadvantages
1. It pollutes the atmosphere due to the production of a large amount of smoke.
2. Maintenance cost and operating cost is high.
3. A Huge amount of water is required.
4. Running cost is high as compared to the diesel power plant.
5. Coal handling and ash disposal is quite difficult.

Oil
Oil is considered liquid gold and one of the crucial energy sources in India and the
world. Oil is primarily used in planes, automobiles, trains and ships. The total oil production
in India was 0.3 million tons in 1950-51, which increased up to 32.4 million tons in 2000. It
is mainly found in Assam, Gujarat and Mumbai. However, during the last 15 years,
domestic production of crude oil has remained almost stagnant, thereby leading to increased
import of crude oil. During 2007-08, the country’s crude oil import was 122.67 MT, valued
at Rs. 2727 billion, resulting in an import dependency of about 75%.

Natural Gas
Natural gas consists about 95% Methane and rest ethane and propane. It occurs
deep under the crust of the earth either alone or a long with oil above the petroleum
deposits. It is a product of petroleum mining. The gas is available in Tripura, Jaisalmer, off-
shore areas of Bombay High and in the Krishna – Godavari delta. It is used as a domestic
and industrial fuel. The natural gas is now also available as CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)
a substitution of petrol in automobiles.
Gas is incompletely utilized at present and huge quantities are burnt off in the oil
production process because of the non-availability of ready market. The reason may be the
high transportation cost of the gas. To transport gas is costlier than transporting oil.
The production of natural gas increased from 1.4 B.C.M. (billion cubic meters) in
1970/71 to 32.274 BCM in 2007-08. The demand for natural gas is more than the demand
hence to bridge this gap, India is importing natural gas in liquefied form, commonly referred
to as LNG (liquefied natural gas).

Gas Turbine Power plant

Main Parts
1. Compressor: It is a mechanical device that is used to compress the air to a high
density. The compressed air helps in the burning of the fuel. The compressor and
turbine have a common shaft.
2. Combustion chamber: It is the chamber where the burning of the fuel in the
presence of the air takes place.
3. Gas Turbine: It consists of rotter blades. The hot gases produced due to burning of
the fuel in the combustion chamber strikes on these blades and it starts rotating.
4. Generator / Alternator: Electric generator is coupled with the shaft of the gas
turbine. It rotates with the turbine shaft and produces electricity.
Working of Gas Power Plant
Atmospheric air is drawn into the compressor and compressed to high pressure. The
compressed air is supplied to the combustion chamber where heat is added to the air by
burning the fuel and raising its temperature. The hot gas coming out from the combustion
chamber is then passed to the turbine where it expands doing mechanical work.
Part of the power developed by the turbine is used to drive the compressor and other
auxiliary equipment, and the remaining is used for power generation. The gas coming out of
the turbine is exhausted into the atmosphere. This cycle is known as an open-cycle power
plant.
If the gas coming out from the turbine is cooled to its original temperature in a
cooler and then it is recirculate to the compressor for doing work, such a cycle is known as a
closed-cycle power plant.

Advantages of Gas Power plant

1. The work developed per kg of air is large compared to the diesel plant.
2. Less space is required.
3. Less vibration due to perfect balancing.
4. Low capital cost.
5. Higher mechanical efficiency.
6. The higher the speed of the turbine.
7. Low installation and maintenance costs.
8. Simple ignition and lubrication systems.
9. Poor-quality fuels can be used.
10. Better torque characteristics of the plant.
11. No ash handling problem.
Disadvantages of Gas Power plant
1. Poor part-load efficiency.
2. Special cooling methods are required for cooling turbine blades.
3. Life of power plant is less.
4. Special metals and alloys are required for components.

Non- Conventional energy of sources

Non- Conventional energy sources are the best alternatives to conventional sources
due to its non- polluting. In 1973, the oil crisis encouraged a focus on non – conventional
sources, which has increased in recent times due to high environmental pollution.
Non-conventional sources could be obtained from sun, wind, hot springs, and others
that support heat and power generation. They are non-polluting and present in abundance
within the earth’s atmosphere. Few types of non-conventional energy sources are:

Solar Energy
The light from the sun is used to generate electricity by trapping the solar cells
within the panels. Solar energy is present in abundance although it can be only trapped
during the daytime, during the hours of intense rays. It is being used for lighting, heating,
and others.

Wind Energy
Wind energy has been used for many years for grinding grains in mills. Although,
in recent years, it has been used to generate electricity by harnessing the energy of winds by
turbines attached to substantial capacity generators. Usually, such wind farms are located
near coastal areas or mountains with the high wind flow. In India, my desert regions, like
the outskirts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, have built substantial wind farms.

Geothermal Energy:
The heat acquired from the earth is geothermal energy. In many areas, hot springs
are witnessed as part of geothermal energy. The heat from within the earth has been used for
generating power. New Zealand, Iceland, Central America, and the USA have the largest
geothermal power plants. India also has geothermal power plants located in Himachal
Pradesh and Ladakh.

Tidal Energy:
Tidal waves also generate energy harnessed by erecting dams. The narrow dams are
built near the end of tides, where the turbines help to capture the energy. India has vast tidal
mill farms at the Gulf of Kachchh, while other countries include Russia and France.

Hydraulic Energy
Hydraulic energy is developed by allowing water to fall under the force of gravity.
It is used almost exclusively for electric power generation, in fact, the generation of water
power on a large scale became possible around the beginning of the twentieth century only
with the development of electrical power plants or Hydroelectric plants were usually of
small capacities usually less than 100 KW. Potential energy of water is converted into
Mechanical energy by using prime moves known as hydraulic turbines. Water power is
quite cheap where water is available in abundance. Although capital cost of hydroelectric
power plants is higher as compared to other types of power plants but their operating Costs
are quite low, as no fuel is required in this case.
The development rate of hydropower is still low, due to the following problems:
1. In developing a project, it will take about 6-10 years for planning, investigation and
construction.
2. High capital investment is needed, and some parts of the investment have to be
designed from foreign sources.
3. There are growing problems on relocation of villages, involved, compensation for
damage, selecting the suitable resettlement area and environmental impact.

Because of long transmission line to the villages with low load factor, the electric
power will be available to the people in rural areas may not be economical. This leads to the
development of Mini or Micro hydroelectric projects to supply the electric power to remote
areas. The Importance of Micro hydroelectric projects have been observed in some parts of
the country with availability of river flow throughout the year. In order to reduce the cost of
development several Measures have been considered as follows:
a) Development of low cost turbines and generators.
b) Participation of villages in the development and operation of the project.
c) Using the appropriate technology and tolerable substandard requirement and project
civil work component at the beginning stage.

Dehar power house of Beas Sutlej link located on the right bank of Sutlej river is
equipped with 6 units of 165 MW each, which is the largest size in country. Hydro-electric
power is one of the indirect ways in which solar energy is being used. Thus, the main factor
in its favour is that it is the only renewable non-depleting source of the present commercial
sources. In addition it does not create any pollution problem. As on 31st May 2008, the total
installed capacity of the utilities in India was 1,44,565.97 MW(megawatts). This includes
92,216.64 MW of thermal (coal, gas and diesel), 36,033.76 MW of hydro, 4,120.00 MW of
nuclear and 12,194.57 MW of wind and other renewable. The availability of power and
been continually falling short of the demand, resulting in power shortages of varying degree
in different parts of the country.

Working of Hydroelectric Power Plant

To understand the working principle of the hydroelectric power plant, let’s first
understand the potential energy and the kinetic energy.
Potential energy: It is the energy possessed by the body due to its position relative
to the other objects. When the objects are displaced from their equilibrium, they gained
some energy, which gets stored in the objects in the form of potential energy. For example,
when the spring is stretched or compressed, it gains potential energy, and when you throw
the ball to another person, the ball has more potential energy when it is in the air than the
energy it possesses when it falls on the ground.
Kinetic Energy: It is the energy possessed by the body due to its motion, i.e., the
higher the speed of the body, the higher will be the kinetic energy.
The working principle of the hydroelectric power plant is that it converts the
potential energy (due to the elevation of water from the channel) and the kinetic energy (due
to fast-flowing water) of the water into mechanical energy with the help of turbines. The
water that is stored in the reservoir or forebay behind the dam falls through the penstock,
and it strikes the blades of the turbine with high pressure, and the turbine runner starts
rotating. The runner is attached to the central shaft that is connected to the generator, which
eventually generates electricity, i.e., the turbine’s mechanical energy is converted into
electricity through electric generators. The electrical energy obtained is then supplied for
domestic or industrial uses through the transmission lines after the voltage regulation by the
transformers. The electrical energy obtained through the hydroelectric plants is proportional
to the rate of flow of water and the elevation drop.

Advantages
1. More reliable power plant.
2. Low operating cost.
3. Low starting time.
4. High production rate capacity.
5. The fuel cost is zero.
6. Pollution-free.
7. Renewable source of energy.
8. Life of the power plant is more.
9. They are also used for flood control and irrigation.

Disadvantages of Hydro Power plant

1. Capital cost is high.
 2. Output depends upon the availability of water.
3. Commonly found in hill-areas.
4. Apparatus needs corrosion protection.

Nuclear Energy
According to modern theories of atomic structure, matter consists of minute
particles known as atoms. Heavier unstable atoms such as U235, Th239, liberate large
amount of heat energy. The energy released by the complete fission of one Kg of Uranium
(U235), is equal to the heat energy obtained by burning 4500 tonnes of coal (or) 220 tons of
oil. The heat produced by nuclear fission of the atoms of fissionable material is utilized in
special heat exchangers for the production of steam which is then used to drive turbo
generators as in the conventional power plants. However there are some limitations in the
use of nuclear energy namely high capital cost of nuclear power plants, limited availability
of raw materials, difficulties associated with disposal of radio-active waste and shortage of
well trained personnel to handle the nuclear power plants. The Uranium reserves in the
world at present are small. These reserves are recoverable but are expensive.
Nuclear energy has the potential to meet the future needs of electricity in the
country. The capacity of nuclear power in India currently stands at 4120 MW (NPCIL
2007). There are in total 17 nuclear reactors. Of these, the 220 MW Kaiga-3 is the latest
addition, which began operation in May, 2007. Another 2660 MW reactor is expected to
become commercially operational by December, 2008.
India has limited availability of uranium, but has one of the largest resources of
thorium in the world.

Nuclear Power Plant

Components of Nuclear Power Plant
1. Nuclear Reactor
In a power plant, a nuclear reactor is an essential component like a heat source that
includes the fuel & its reaction of nuclear chain including the waste products of nuclear. The
nuclear fuel used in the nuclear reactor is Uranium & its reactions are heat generated in a
reactor. Then, this heat can be transferred to the coolant of the reactor to generate heat to all
the parts in the power plant.
There are different types of nuclear reactors that are used in the manufacturing of
plutonium, ships, satellites & aircraft for research as well as medical purposes. The power
plant includes not only includes the reactor and also includes turbines, generators, cooling
towers, a variety of safety systems.

2. Steam Generation
In all the power plants, the production of steam is general; however, the way of
generating will change. Most of the plants use water reactors by using two loops of rotating
water to generate steam. The primary loop carries very hot water for heating an exchange
once water at a low-pressure is circulated, then it warms the water to generate the steam to
transmit to the turbine section.

3. Generator & Turbine

Once the steam is generated, then it travels with high pressures to speed up the
turbine. The rotating of the turbines can be used to rotate an electric generator for generating
electricity that is transmitted to the electrical grid.

4. Cooling Towers
In a nuclear power plant, the most essential part is a cooling tower which is used to
reduce the heat of the water. Please refer to this link to know more about what is a cooling
tower – components, construction & applications

Working of Nuclear Power Plant

The elements like Uranium or Thorium are sued nuclear fission reaction of a
nuclear reactor. Because of this fission, a huge amount of heat energy can be generated and
it is transmitted to the coolant reactor. Here, the coolant is nothing but water, liquid metal
otherwise gas. The water is heated to flow in a heat exchanger so that it changes into high-
temperature steam. Then the steam which is produced is permitted to make a steam
turbine run. Again the steam can be changed back into the coolant & recycled to use for the
heat exchanger. So, the turbine and alternator are connected to produce electricity. By using
a transformer, the electricity which is produced can be increased to use in long-distance
communication.
The Efficiency of the Nuclear Power Plant
The nuclear power plant efficiency can be decided equally to other heat engines
because technically the plant is a large heat engine. The sum of electric power generated for
every unit of thermal power will provide the plant is thermal efficiency & because of the
thermodynamics second law, there is a higher limit to how efficient these power plants can
be.
The normal nuclear power plants attain efficiencies approximately around 45%
efficiency.

Types of Nuclear Power Plant

a) Pressurized water reactor
b) Boiling Water Reactor

Nuclear Power Plants in India

There seven nuclear power plants in India which include the following.
1. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, located in Tamil Nadu
2. Tarapur Nuclear Reactor, located in Maharashtra
3. Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant, located in Rajasthan
4. Kaiga Atomic Power Plant, located in Karnataka
5. Kalapakkam Nuclear Power Plant, located in Tamil Nadu
6. Narora Nuclear Reactor, located in Uttar Pradesh
7. Kakarapar Atomic Power Plant, located in Gujarat

Advantages
1. It uses less space compared with other power plants
2. It is extremely economical and generates huge electric power.
3. It generates a huge amount of power in the process of each nuclear fission
4. It uses less fuel to generate huge energy
5. Its operation is reliable
6. The operating cost is small
7. It doesn’t produce polluting gases

Disadvantages
1. The cost of primary installation is extremely high when compared with other power
stations.
2. The nuclear fuel is expensive so recovering is difficult
3. High capital cost compare with other power plants
4. Technical knowledge is required to operate this plant. So maintenance, as well as
salary, will be high.
5. There is a chance of radioactive pollution
6. The response is not efficient
7. The requirement of cooling water is double compare with a steam power plant.
Applications
Nuclear energy is used in different industries all over the world for desalination of
ocean water, production of hydrogen, district cooling/heating and the removal of tertiary oil
resources & used in heat process applications like cogeneration, conversion of coal to
liquids & help in the chemical feedstock synthesis.

Advantages of conventional source of energy

 Provide a large amount of thermal energy per unit of mass
 Easy to get and easy to transport
 Can be used to generate electrical energy and make products, such as plastic, paints
etc.

Disadvantages of conventional source of energy

 Nonrenewable
 Burning produces smog
 Burning coal releases substances that can cause acid precipitation
 Risk of oil spills
 High cost

Advantages of the non- conventional source of energy

 They are non-polluting
 Available in abundant
 Freely available
 Low harnessing costs
 Low environmental damage

Disadvantages of non- conventional sources of energy

 It can be sourced only in restricted time limits like rainy seasons
 Not viable commercially
 Lower efficiency levels.

Renewable vs. non-renewable primary energy sources

S. No. Non-renewable sources Renewable sources of
of Energy energy
1 It is readily available by It requires mechanical
nature devices for procuring
2 It has been used from It is a recent development
centuries as alternative fuels
3 It is highly polluting It is non-polluting
4 It is more commercially It is majorly used
viable and is widely domestically
used in industries
 5 They are scarce They are available in
resources abundance

Renewable energy resources in India

India's energy demand is expected to increase more than that of any other country in
the coming decades due to its sheer size and enormous potential for growth and
development. Therefore, it is imperative that most of this new energy demand is met by
low-carbon, renewable sources. India's announced as achieve net zero carbon emissions by
2070 and to meet 50% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030 marks a
historic point in the global effort to combat climate change.
As on 2020, the Indian renewable energy sector is the fourth most attractive
renewable energy market in the world. India was ranked fourth in wind power, fifth in solar
power. Installed renewable power generation capacity has gained pace over the past few
years. India is the market with the fastest growth in renewable electricity, and by 2026, new
capacity additions are expected to double.

Table: 1 – Installed capacity as on Dec 2022

Capacity Under
S. No. Resources
(GW) Implementation
1 Solar 63.30 51.13
2 Wind 41.93 12.93
3 Hydro 51.79 14.69
4 Biomass 10.73 ---

With the increased support of the Government and improved economics, the sector
has become attractive from an investor’s perspective. As India looks to meet its energy
demand on its own, which is expected to reach 15,820 TWh by 2040, renewable energy is
set to play an important role.

Solar Power
In 2009, India proposed to launch its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission with
a target of 20GW grid capacity by 2022. The National Solar Mission is also promoted and
known by its more colloquial name of "Solar India". In 2015, the Prime Minister of India
Narendra Modi and the Francois Hollande President of France launched the International
Solar Alliance (ISA). The ISA aims to promote and develop solar power amongst its
members and has the objective of mobilising $1 trillion of investment by 2030.
India is also installed world's first 100% solar-powered airport, located
at Cochin, Kerala and railway station in Guwhati, Assam. India's first and the largest
floating solar power plant was constructed at Banasura Sagar reservoir in Wayanad, Kerala.

Wind Power
 The development of wind power in India began in the 1990s, Because of the
domestic policy support for wind power has led India to become the country with the fourth
largest installed wind power capacity in the world.
The Indian Government's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy announced a new
wind-solar hybrid policy in May 2018. This means that the same piece of land will be used
to house both wind farms and solar panels.
The wind-solar hybrid power plant (Gujarat Hybrid Renewable Energy Park) is
installed at kutch, Gujarat with capacity of 23,000 MW (11,500 from wind and 11,500 from
Solar) in association with Adani group and suzlon.

Biomass
India is an ideal environment for biomass production given its tropical location,
sunshine and rains. The country's vast agricultural potential provides agro-residues which
can be used to meet energy needs, both in heat and power applications. According to
IREDA "Biomass is capable of supplementing the coal to the tune of about 26 crore tonnes",
"saving of about ₹25,0000 crore, every year." It is estimated that the potential for biomass
energy in India includes 16,000 MW from biomass energy and a further 3,500 MW from
bagasse cogeneration. Biomass materials that can be used for power generation include
bagasse, rice husk, straw, cotton stalk, coconut shells, soya husk, de-oiled cakes, coffee
waste, jute wastes, groundnut shells and sawdust.

Biofuel
a) Ethanol
India imports 85% of petrol products with import cost of $55 billion in 2020–21,
India has set a target of blending 20% ethanol in petrol by 2025 resulting in import
substitution saving of US$4 billion or ₹30,000 crore, and India provides financial assistance
for manufacturing ethanol from rice, wheat, barley, corn, sorghum, sugarcane, sugar beet,
etc. Ethanol market penetration reached its highest figure of a 10% blend rate in India in
2022 and is currently on track to achieve 20% ethanol blending by 2025 as envisioned in
National Policy on Biofuels.
Ethanol is produced from sugarcane molasses and partly from grains and can be
blended with gasoline. Sugarcane or sugarcane juice may not be used for the production of
ethanol in India. Government is also encouraging 2G ethanol commercial production using
biomass as feed stock.

b) Biodiesel
The market for biodiesel remains at an early stage in India with the country
achieving a minimal blend rate with diesel of 0.001% in 2016. Initially development was
focussed on the jatropha (jatropha curcas) plant as the most suitable inedible oilseed for
biodiesel production. Some Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies have shown India's
potential for production of low carbon Jatropha and Algae based biodiesel. Development
of biodiesel from jatropha has met a number of agronomic and economic restraints and
attention is now moving towards other feedstock technologies which utilize used cooking
oils, other unusable oil fractions, animal fat and inedible oils. Biodiesel and
also Biopropane are produced from non-edible vegetable oils, used cooking oil,
waste animal fats, etc.

Current usage of renewable energy sources in India

India is world’s fourth largest energy consumer and producer behind China, United
State and European Union. India consumes power of 1.048 trillion kWh of global energy
consumption. The total installed capacity of India is 330GW up to December 2018. Among
these 68% is generated by non-renewable sources and 32% by renewable energy sources.
India's energy demand is increasing day by day and due to limited fossil fuel
reserves and rapid growth in population, it made the country to plans to expand its
renewable and nuclear power industries. India has the world's fifth largest wind power
market and 50GW of solar power capacity in 2022. The potential wind resource in India
from 49,130 MW assessed at 50 m Hub heights to 102,788 MW assessed at 80m Hub
height.

Future potential of renewable energy in power production

In 2024, according to IEA, the capital of renewable energy is expected to reach
30%. In 2024, the capacity of solar will grow up to 600 GW in renewable energy. Overall,
renewable electricity is predicted to grow by 1 200 GW by 2024, the equivalent of the total
electricity capacity of the USA.

1. Solar Will Become 35% Cheaper By 2024

When the sun shines onto a solar panel, energy from the sunlight is absorbed by the
PV cells in the panel. This energy creates electrical charges that move in response to an
internal electrical field in the cell, causing electricity to flow. Industry experts predict that
the USA planned to double its solar installations to four million by 2023. In 2018, the UK
had over one million solar panel installations, up by 2% from the previous year and
Australia reached two million solar installations in the same year. A big reason for this
increased uptake is the fall in prices to install the panels.
The cost of solar PV-based power declined by 13% in 2018, while Carbon Tracker
predicts that 72% of coal-based power will become globally unprofitable by 2040. The IEA
report found that solar energy will account for 60% of the predicted renewable growth,
primarily due to its accessibility. Compared with the previous six-year period, expansion of
solar energy has more than doubled. The cost of solar power is expected to decline by 15%
to 35% by 2024, spurring further growth over the second half of the decade.

Future Capacity of Solar Energy

Residential solar power is expected to expand from 58 GW in 2018 to 142 GW by
2024, and annual capacity additions are expected to more than triple to over 20 GW by
2024. China is expected to register the largest installed residential solar capacity in the
world by 2024, with the strongest per capita growth in Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands
and Austria.
Solar facilities will continue reducing their variability rates by storing electricity
during the day and running at night. However, advanced solar plants will operate on higher
DC to AC ratios, meaning they’ll deliver more consistent service for longer durations.
Commercial and residential buildings will keep running at full capacity even in
periods of low sunlight. Closing the gaps between sunlight collection and electricity
generation will spur residents and corporations to join the solar movement. Therefore, it’s
imperative for governments to implement incentive and remuneration schemes, as well as
effective regulation policies. For example, California has mandated that after 2020, solar
panels must be installed on new homes and buildings.
Commercial and industrial solar energy capacity is forecast to constitute 377 GW in
2024, up from 150 GW in 2018, with China predicted to be the largest growth market. This
market remains the largest growth segment because solar power is usually more inexpensive
and has a relatively stable load profile during the day, which generally enables larger
savings on electricity bills.

2. Onshore Wind Energy Capacity

To generate electricity using wind, wind turns the propeller-like blades of a
turbine around a rotor, which spins a generator, which creates electricity.The adoption of
wind power is becoming more prominent due to increased capacity.
Onshore wind capacity is expected to expand by 57% to 850 GW by 2024. Annual
onshore wind additions will be led by the US and China, owing to a development rush and a
policy transition to competitive auctions respectively. Expansion will accelerate in the EU
as competitive auctions continue to keep costs relatively low. These auctions will mean that
growth in Latin America, the MENA region, Eurasia and sub-Saharan Africa will remain
stable over the forecast period.
Offshore wind capacity is forecast to increase almost threefold to 65 GW by 2024,
representing almost 10% of total world wind generation. While the EU accounts for half of
global offshore wind capacity expansion over the forecast period, on a country basis, China
leads deployment, with 12.5 GW in development. The first large US capacity additions are
also expected during the forecast period.

Japan Expands Wind Energy

Japan is experimenting with the idea of installing offshore turbines to replace many
of their nuclear reactors, a result of the country’s 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima. The
company Marubeni recently signed a project agreement to build offshore farms in northern
Japan, with each farm able to produce 140 MW of power.
Japanese lawmakers have created regulations to give developers more certainty in
constructing sources of wind-based electricity; legislation outlining competitive bidding
processes has been passed to ensure that building costs are reduced and developers consider
potential capacity issues. The country’s Port and Harbour Law has also been revised to spur
wind turbine construction in port-associated areas and other locations favourable to wind
turbines.
Grid integration, financing and social acceptance remain the key challenges to faster
wind expansion globally.

3. Hydroelectric energy
Hydropower plants capture the energy of falling water to generate electricity. A
turbine converts the kinetic energy of falling water into mechanical energy. Then a
generator converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into electrical energy.
According to the IEA, hydropower will remain the world’s primary source of
renewable power in 2024. Capacity is set to increase 9% (121 GW) over the forecast period,
led by China, India and Brazil. 25% of global growth is expected to come from just three
megaprojects: two in China (the 16 GW and10 GW) and one in Ethiopia (the 6.2 GW Grand
Renaissance project).
However, there has been a slowdown in the two largest markets, China and Brazil;
growth is challenged by rising investment costs due to limited remaining economical sites
and extra expenditures in addressing social and environmental impacts.
Nevertheless, annual additions are expected to expand in sub-Saharan Africa and in
the ASEAN region as untapped potential is used to meet rising power demand.

4. Geothermal Capacity
To generate geothermal energy, hot water is pumped from deep underground
through a well under high pressure. When the water reaches the surface, the pressure is
dropped, which causes the water to turn into steam. The steam spins a turbine, which is
connected to a generator that produces electricity. The steam cools off in a cooling tower
and condenses back to water. The cooled water is pumped back into the Earth to begin the
process again.
The US market for geothermal heat pumps will exceed $2 billion by 2024 as
demand for efficient heating solutions increases. Transformed building codes will encourage
a move to renewable heating and electricity systems in commercial and residential real
estates.
Geothermal capacity is anticipated to grow 28%, reaching 18 GW by 2024, with
Asia responsible for one-third of global expansion, particularly Indonesia and the
Philippines, followed by Kenya, whose geothermal capacity is set to overtake Iceland’s
during the forecast period.
The same research from Global Market Insights predicts the commercial market
will experience the most considerable uptick; according to the Department of Energy,
geothermal solutions will generate 8.5% of all electricity in the US by 2050.

Developments in the renewable energy sector:

 National Hydrogen Mission for production of 5 MMT by 2030
 59 solar parks of aggregate capacity 40 GW have been approved in India.
 Solar Parks in Pavagada (2 GW), Kurnool (1 GW) and Bhadla-II (648 MW)
included in top 5 operational solar parks of 7 GW capacity in the country.
 The world’s largest renewable energy park of 30 GW capacity solar-wind hybrid
project is under installation in Gujarat.
 Wind Energy has an offshore target of 30 GW by 2030 with three potential sites
identified.
 In August 2022, the Norwegian Climate Investment Fund, and KLP, Norway’s
biggest pension company, signed an agreement to buy a 49% share of a 420 MW
solar power plant in Rajasthan.
 India has generated 47.64 BU of solar power in the first half of 2022.
 In FY22, renewable energy Investment in India increased by 125% compare with
FY21.
 Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has become the first Indian
airport to run entirely on hydro and solar power.
 Ayana Renewable Power Pvt Ltd (Ayana) announced plans to set up renewable
energy projects 2GW capacity in Karnataka.
 India ranked third on the EY Renewable Energy Country Attractive Index 2021.
 In February 2022, Husk Power Systems, a renewable energy company working
towards rural electrification, secured a US$ 4.2 million loan from the Indian
Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA).
 In December 2021, India's largest energy provider, Tata Power, was awarded a
contract by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited
(MSEDCL) to set up a 300 MW wind-solar hybrid power plant.
 In October 2021, Reliance New Energy Solar Ltd. (RNESL) announced two
acquisitions to build more capabilities and expected to contribute to Reliance’s
target of achieving the capacity of 100 GW of solar energy at Jamnagar by 2030.
 In October 2021, Adani Green Energy Ltd. (AGEL) acquired SB Energy India for
US$ 3.5 billion to strengthen its position in the renewable energy sector in India.
 In August 2021, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) signed an investment
agreement with Amp Energy India Private Limited to facilitate joint equity
investments of US$ 200 million across Indian renewable energy projects.
 In July 2021, National Thermal Power Corporation Renewable Energy Ltd. (NTPC
REL), NTPC's fully owned subsidiary, sent out a tender to domestic manufacturers
to build India's first green hydrogen fueling station in Ladakh.
 The NTPC installed India’s largest floating solar power plant in Ramagundam,
Telangana in May-June 2022 with the total installed capacity is 447MW.
 The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) implemented large-scale central
auctions for solar parks and has awarded contracts for 47 parks with over 25 GW of
combined capacity.