EGBT 2018 – ‘20

Hand Out: Renewable Energy

(A) Introduction

Renewable Energy: the term specifies the Energy collected from renewable resources
which are naturally replenished on a human time scale. Resources for Renewable
Energy derive their energy from the Sun - expected to be capable of supplying energy
for another 1 billion years

Examples: Sunlight, Wind, Rain, Tides, Waves & Geo-thermal heat. These resources
are widely available ALL over the World (Unlike Crude Oil - NOT concentrated in
certain areas only).

Climate change, global warming, erratic crude oil prices necessitate alternatives
resources. ALL countries specifically India have undertaken massive programmes.

(B) Application & Usages

Resources of Renewable Energy provide energy mainly in four important areas:- (i)
Electricity Generation (ii) Air & Water Heating / Cooling (iii) Transportation and (iv)Rural
Energy Services. Storage of generated Energy for future use is a necessary device.

Reliable surveys project - Power Generation by RE to equal Coal & Natural Gas
Electricity Generation by 2040. Heating/ Cooling – Solar water heating (China : 70%) &
Geo-thermal for cooling also. In Transportation sector - Ethanol (a byproduct of sugar)
is fast replacing fossil fuel or used as an additive to improve combustion efficiency.
Solar Vehicles, increasingly popular all over, use direct solar energy through PV cells.

(C) Resource Categories

Well-established technologies harness energy mainly from (i) Solar Energy (ii)Wind
Power (iii) Wave Power (iv) Geo-thermal Energy (v) Bio Energy (vi) Bio Fuels (vii)
Hydropower, though large hydropower plants are treated as conventional source.

Solar Energy: Radiant light & Heat from the Sun are converted to electricity / heating /
Cooling Solar through CSP & CPV (Concentrated Solar Power / Concentrated
Photovoltaic) cells.

Wind Power: Wind-flows are utilized to run wind turbine. Power so generated is a
Function of cube of wind speed – meaning increase of wind speed multiplies many
times generation of power generated. So, off-shore & high altitude sites are selected to
avail the maximum advantages to Generate 600 KW to 7.5 MW power

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Wave Power: Energy of moving water is extensively harnessed to generate electricity.
Technology is so devised to capture energy of ocean surface waves and On / Off Tidal
power. Conversion of ocean thermal energy (temperature difference). Plants in South
Korea (254 MW) & France (240 MW) are running successfully since long.

Geothermal Energy: Geothermal gradient drives a continuous conduction from the

core to the surface of the Earth (5000 degree Celsius). Geothermal Heat Pump & Heat
Exchanger move Heat Energy into the Earth ( Cooling) & Out of the Earth (Heating)
depending on season

Bio Energy: Biomass (biological material) derived from living organism – its burning
produce heat ( though discouraged for pollution concern). Instead, conversion to Bio
fuel ( thermal / chemical / biochemical process) are promoted. Examples:Dead trees,
branches, yard clippings Municipal solid waste

Hydropower: Hydro-electric plants converts kinetic energy of falling water to electricity

through Turbine. Many large plants (> 50 MW) were installed in India after
independence. Largest : Three Gorges Dam ( China) . 10 GW. (Hydropower, however,
is NOT considered as Renewable Energy resource)

Energy Storage: Methods to store on a power grid or off it are important necessity to
store power to use later, mostly when production exceeds consumption. Pumped-
storage hydroelectricity method is in use (>90 % of all grid power storage). Lithium ion
batteries are gradually, being replaced for economic consideration.

(D) Developments

RE technologies are getting cheaper through continuous improvements in technologies

due to mass production, market competition and non-availability of crude oil. Hydro &
Geo-thermal electricity are the cheapest among all RE resources. Levelised Cost of
Electricity (LCOE) are declining for all categories of all categories of RE resources.

(E) Indian Scenario

RE is vital for India (Crude Oil - own source 20% only) to meet ever-growing Energy
requirements. Renewable electricity generation was 17.5% of total utility electricity
generation in 2017-18. To augment utilization of RE, a separate Ministry of New
Renewable Energy (MNRE) set ambitious targets and follow it up with resources and
incentives. India is at present running the largest capacity expansion programmes in the
World. Targets (By 2022):- (I) Solar Energy -100 GW (ii) Wind Power:60 GW (ii) Biomass
power: 10 GW. India aims to increase RE Installed capacity: 275 GW (by 2030) - 40 % of
its total electricity generation, thereby India aims -

To reach at the center of Sunshine Countries of the World

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