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Energy Solutions For A Green India

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children."

- Native American Proverb

One of the basic requisites for economic development is energy. Every section of society, whether
agriculture, industry, transport, businesses or households consume energy. Over the years, as the
country progresses, increased amounts of energy are needed by these sectors. This growing consumption
of energy has led to increasing dependence on fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas for the
supply of electricity.

The resulting environmental pollution and health problems caused by the use of these fossil fuels brought
about the need to develop and utilize alternative sources of clean energy. Also, the rising prices of fossil
fuels and fears about future shortages in energy supply called for the creation of a sustainable path of
energy development. This is best done through two avenues - the promotion of energy conservation and
the use of environmentally friendly renewable sources of energy.

• Energy Conservation
• Renewable Energy

Energy Conservation
The most cost effective method of reducing the gap between the demand and supply of energy in the
country is the promotion of energy efficiency and its conservation. Energy conservation is the practice of
reducing the amount of energy being used through decreased consumption or by the use of power
efficient devices like light bulbs or air conditioners. It has been estimated that around 25,000 megawatts
(MW) of capacity can be created through energy efficiency in the electricity sector alone, with the
maximum potential being seen in the agriculture and industrial sectors.

- Considering this, the Government of India enacted the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. This Act provides
for the legal framework, institutional arrangement and a regulatory mechanism at the Central and State
level to begin a drive to promote energy efficiency in the country. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has
- also come out with an Action Plan for Energy Efficiency (24.2MB) that includes various schemes to
promote saving of electricity, awareness campaigns, painting competitions for children and the National
Energy Conservation Awards. Here are some useful resources on energy conservation -

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- • Measures for Energy Conservation

- • Tips for Energy Conservation in the Home (36.0KB)
- • Tips for Energy Conservation in Industries (216KB)
- • Tips for Saving Gas at Home
- • Tips for Saving Petrol on Roads
- • More Energy Saving Tips
- • Handbook on Energy Conscious Buildings
- • Power Saving Guide
- • Energy Calculator
- • Energy Labelling Programme
- • Let's Save Energy
- • Bachat Lamp Yojana
- • Energy Efficiency Home Survey

Conservation of Energy decreases energy costs, bringing down the need for new power plants and energy
imports to keep up with a growing population and economy. The reduction of emissions also promotes a
clean environment and healthy lifestyle for citizens and is the most economical solution to energy
shortages.

Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is energy created from natural sources such as sunlight, wind, water, waste products
and other sources that can be naturally replenished. India is fortunate to be blessed with an abundance of
such sources. These sources of energy are available locally throughout the year and do not need
elaborate arrangements for distribution. This makes them well suited to decentralized applications for use
in remote areas. Other advantages of renewable energy sources are its environment friendliness and low
operation costs.

- The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is responsible for putting into action comprehensive
programmes for the development and utilization of renewable energy. It is promoting many new
technologies and devices that are now commercially available. These include biogas plants, solar water
heaters, solar cookers, street lights, pumps, wind electric generators, water-pumping wind mills, biomass
gasifiers and small hydro-electric generators. Currently, renewable sources contribute around 9 per cent
of the total power installed capacity in the country. Here are some details about the types of alternative
sources of energy being produced.

- 1. Biogas (888KB) - Biogas is derived from organic products, primarily cattle dung, kitchen waste
and agro forestry wastes and is used mainly in rural areas. The Government promotes the use of
- biogas through the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme. Biogas can be used for
cooking, heating, lighting, motive power in certain gas engines and generation of electricity through
attached alternators. There is an estimated potential for the installation of 12 million family type
biogas plants in the country. Currently, India ranks second in the world in biogas production.
- 2. Biomass (960KB) - Biomass has been used by mankind ever since the beginning of civilization
and includes wood, sugarcane residues, wheat chaff and other plant matter. It is carbon neutral
and has the potential to provide significant employment in rural areas. The three main biomass
technologies being promoted by the Government are bagasse-based cogeneration in sugar mills,
biomass power generation, and biomass gasification for thermal and electrical applications. Of late,
biomass power has become an industry attracting annual investments of over Rs.1000 crores while
generating more than 9 billion units of electricity per year.
- 3. Solar Energy (1MB) - India is a sunny country with most parts receiving about 4 to 7 kilowatt
hours of solar radiation per square metre per day with 250 - 300 sunny days in a year. This makes
solar energy a very attractive option for generating both power and heat. The thermal route uses
the heat from the sun for water heating, cooking, drying, water purification, power generation and
much more. The photovoltaic route converts sunlight into electricity, which can then be used for
lighting, pumping, communications and power supply in non electrified areas.
- 4. Energy from Wastes (804KB) - Rapid industrialization, urbanization and changes in the
lifestyles, which accompany the process of economic growth, give rise to generation of increasing
quantities of wastes and the environmental problems of air & water pollution and climate change.

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In recent years, technologies have been developed that not only help in generating substantial
decentralized energy from waste but also in reducing their quantity for safe disposal. There exists
an estimated potential for recovery of over 3500 MW of energy from urban and industrial wastes.
- The government is implementing a Programme on Energy Recovery from Urban Wastes.
- 5. Wind Energy (952KB) - India is currently the fifth largest producer of wind power in the world,
after USA, Germany, Spain and China. Wind energy is used for water pumping, battery charging
and large power generation. It works through a simple concept - the flowing wind rotates the
blades of a turbine, which causes electricity to be produced in a generator. Up to March 2009, a
total wind power capacity of 10,242 MW has been established. The Government has initiated the
- Wind Power Programme to assess wind resources, promote setting up projects and provide
incentives to promote wind energy as an supplementary source of electricity in the country.
- 6. Small Hydro Power (852KB) - Hydro power is the largest source of renewable energy for
generating electricity. It is obtained from the energy of water flowing from a height, which is
converted into electricity by using a turbine coupled to a generator. In India, hydro power projects
with a station capacity of up to 25 megawatts (MW) are categorized as small hydro power projects.
The estimated potential for power generation from such plants is about 15,000 MW, with the most
prospects being seen in the Himalayan States. As Small Hydro Power Projects are economically
viable, the private sector has also begun investing in them.
- 7. Hydrogen Energy (808KB) - Hydrogen is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, flammable gas
which is high in energy content. When burnt, hydrogen produces water as a by-product. This
makes it an efficient source of energy as well as an environmentally clean fuel. It can be used for
power generation and transport applications as well as for spacecraft fuel.

The Government is also working to develop advanced technologies of renewable energy such as
geothermal energy, ocean energy, fuel cells, bio fuels and tidal energy to satisfy future energy
requirements.

The future of energy production is filled with challenges. As renewable energy is obtained from natural
sources, adopting such technologies would protect our environment by reducing pollution and save the
nation billions of rupees from oil imports. Thus, it is important to promote the benefits of conserving
energy and adopting such 'clean' technologies through public awareness campaigns. As citizens learn and
adopt energy saving behaviour and technologies in their homes and businesses, the nation will also
progress.

We are fortunate enough to have inherited an India with beautiful mountains, lush green country
landscape and thick forests to explore. It is vital that we pass on a clean, healthy and safe environment to
future generations also. Tapping of renewable sources of energy and energy conservation are two steps in
the direction of ensuring energy security and bequeathing a green planet to our children.

Related Links
- • Ministry of Environment and Forests
- • Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- • Ministry of Power
- • Bureau of Energy Efficiency
- • Environmental Information System
- • National Electricity Policy, 2005
- • The Electricity Act, 2003
- • Annual Report of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, 2008

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