Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

Non-Conventional sources of energy are those which have been developed in the recent past as an alternative to conventional sources of energy. These include solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, nuclear energy and biogas.

(i) Non-conventional sources of energy are called the resources of the future as most of these sources of energy are renewable, non-polluting, less expensive to run and easy to maintain.

(ii) India in an advantageous position to harness solar energy because of India's location on the Tropic of Cancer. Most parts of the country have 300 clear sunny days in a year and per hour per square km availability of solar energy between 5 to 7 kW.

(iii) Harvesting of solar energy does not require much maintenance as most reliable solar panel manufacturers give 20-25 years warranty. Also, as there are no moving parts, there is no wear and tear. So, after covering the initial cost of the solar energy system, it requires very little spending on maintenance and repair work.

India is in an advantageous position to harness solar energy because of India's location on the Tropic of Cancer. Most parts of the country have 300 clear sunny days in a year and per hour per square km availability of solar energy between 5 to 7 kW.

Sun's energy can be transformed into electrical energy with the help of solar cells. Solar cells are also known as photovoltaic cells. They are made up of thin wafers of semi conductor materials from silicon and gallium. When Sun's light falls on them, the Sun's energy gets converted into electricity.

Land owners can look for additional income by installing wind turbines on land that can even be used for agricultural purposes. The electricity generated by wind power can be used for domestic consumption and reduce monthly electricity bills, and the surplus power can be sold back to the local grid which can result in more savings. Hence, wind energy can generate additional income for the land owners.

Three advantages of using solar energy are-

1. It is a renewable source of energy which can be harnessed in most of the areas of the world.
2. It can be used for diverse purposes like producing electricity in areas without access to the energy grid, to distill water in regions with limited clean water supplies and to power satellites in space.
3. Solar energy systems do not require a lot of maintenance.

The wind energy is obtained by making use of windmills. The blades of the windmill rotate due to the force of the wind. The rotational motion of the blades drives a number of machines like water pumps, flour mills and electric generators. A number of windmills are installed in a definite pattern in clusters called wind farms. They generate a large amount of electricity.

The rise and fall of water of the ocean produced by the attraction of the Moon and Sun produces a large amount of energy called Tidal energy.

An advantage of Tidal energy is that it can be produced even if the water moves at a low speed.

Two advantages of using wind energy are-

1. It is a renewable source of energy that can be produced again and again.
2. It is the cleanest form of renewable energy that produces no pollution.

A number of windmills are installed in a definite pattern in clusters called wind farms.

They are usually installed in coastal regions, open grasslands or hilly regions.

(i) Geothermal energy is the heat energy contained in the rock and fluid that fills the fractures and pores within the rock in the earth's crust.

(ii) Resources of geothermal energy can be generated by using the shallow steam, hot water and hot rock by drilling wells up to thousands of feet beneath the earth's surface. The extremely high temperatures in the deeper geothermal reservoirs are used for the generation of electricity. The high-pressure steam spins the turbine that rotates a generator and produces electricity.

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 the turbine, which is connected to a generator that produces electricity. The steam cools off in the cooling tower and condenses back to water. The cooled water is pumped back into the earth to begin the process again.

Two advantages of using geothermal energy are-

1. It is easily accessible because of its extensive distribution.
2. It is independent of weather and season.

The process involved in generation of nuclear energy is known as Nuclear Fission.

Three advantages of using nuclear power are —

1. Nuclear energy reduces the requirement of the amount of energy generated from fossil fuels and therefore, reduces the use of fossil fuels and lowers Greenhouse Gas emissions.
2. Fission of one atom of uranium produces ten million times the energy released by burning of one atom of carbon. In this way, nuclear energy not only saves on raw materials but also in transport, handling and extraction of nuclear fuel. The cost of nuclear fuel is 20% of the cost of energy generated.
3. Nuclear energy is the most reliable source of energy as nuclear power plants can run 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

Biogas is beneficial for the farmers in the form of energy and good quality manure. It is useful for the householders as the gas is used for cooking, lighting and pumping water from wells.

Nuclear power is obtained from energy stored in the nuclei of atoms of naturally occurring radioactive elements like uranium, thorium and plutonium.

Uranium and Thorium are the two minerals used for the generation of nuclear energy.

Two nuclear power plants in India are-

1. Kaiga in Karnataka
2. Kakrapar in Gujarat

Countries prefer nuclear power over conventional energy sources because it produces a large amount of energy from a small amount of fuel and does not emit harmful greenhouse gases. Even though the raw materials like uranium are non-renewable, nuclear power helps reduce air pollution and dependence on fossil fuels. It is a more efficient and cleaner energy option, making it attractive for meeting growing energy needs while protecting the environment.

Using nuclear energy in a controlled environment can be a boon for our country for the following reasons-

1. Nuclear energy reduces the requirement of the amount of energy generated from fossil fuels and therefore, reduces the use of fossil fuels and lowers Greenhouse Gas emissions.
2. Fission of one atom of uranium produces ten million times the energy released by burning of one atom of carbon. In this way, nuclear energy not only saves on raw materials but also in transport, handling and extraction of nuclear fuel. The cost of nuclear fuel is 20% of the cost of energy generated.
3. Nuclear energy is the most reliable source of energy as nuclear power plants can run 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Besides, a nuclear plant needs to refuel every 18 to 24 months. This shows that nuclear fuels are less affected by fluctuating fuel prices than the more volatile industries like oil and natural gas.
4. When compared to the fossil fuel waste, the nuclear waste which occurs due to the production of nuclear power is small in quantity.

Biogas is produced by the anaerobic decomposition of animal and plant waste in the presence of water. In this oxygen-free environment, bacteria break down the waste and release methane-rich gas. The mixture is fed into an underground digester tank through an inlet pipe. As bacteria ferment the waste, biogas is collected through a gas outlet, while the leftover slurry is removed via an outlet pipe.

The main constituents of Biogas are:

1. Methane
2. Carbon dioxide
3. Hydrogen
4. Hydrogen sulphide

Three advantages of Biogas are as follows:

1. Biogas is clean, non-polluting and cheap.
2. There is direct supply of gas from the plant. Therefore, there is no storage problem.
3. The sludge left behind is a rich fertiliser containing bacterial biomass.

Compressed Biogas (CBG) is purified biogas with over 90% methane, produced by removing hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide, and water vapour. Its high calorific value and properties make it a green, renewable automotive fuel. To promote CBG usage, blending it with CNG and PNG for households will be mandatory in phases from 2025–26. This initiative aims to boost domestic CBG production and reduce dependence on imported natural gas.

(a) The type of energy being generated in the given figure is Geothermal energy. The advantages of using Geothermal energy are as follows:

1. It is easily accessible because of its extensive distribution.
2. It is environment-friendly in nature; has low emission of sulphur, carbondioxide and other Greenhouse Gases.
3. It is independent of external supply and demand effects and fluctuations in exchange rates.
4. It is independent of weather and season.

(b) Two areas that can be well suited for its generation are - Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh, Puga Valley in Ladakh.

(c) Method of Generating Electricity Using Geothermal Energy is described below:

1. Wells are drilled deep (thousands of feet) into the Earth to access hot water or steam from geothermal reservoirs.
2. Hot water is pumped from deep underground through a well under high pressure.
3. When the water reaches the surface, the pressure is dropped, which causes the water to turn into steam.
4. The steam spins a turbine connected to a generator, producing electricity.
5. After use, the steam is cooled in a cooling tower and condenses back into water.
6. The cooled water is pumped back into the Earth to begin the process again.

(d) The names of three such provinces are as follows:

1. Himalayan geothermal province
2. Son-Narmada-Tapti graben
3. Andaman-Nicobar Islands geothermal province.

inexhaustible

Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Explanation — Solar energy is naturally available and solar energy systems do not require a lot of maintenance making it practically free.

river valleys.

All of the above

It has low emission of green house gases.

Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Explanation — Wind Mills can be installed in most regions — coastal regions, open grasslands or hilly regions, due to which wind power accounts for nearly 10 percent of India's total installed power generation capacity.

nuclear fission

Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Explanation — Massive amounts of water in the oceans move in extremely predictable patterns. This makes it easy to harness the tidal energy. Hence, Reason (R) correctly explains Assertion (A).

CBG

Solar

All of them.

Both A and R are true but R does not explain A.

Explanation — Assertion (A) is true because nuclear energy is indeed considered one of the most reliable energy sources. It provides a continuous output of power and is not affected by weather conditions or daylight like solar and wind energy. Reason (R) is also true because nuclear fuels like uranium are less impacted by market price fluctuations compared to fossil fuels like oil and natural gas.
However, while both statements are true, R does not directly explain why nuclear energy is reliable. Reliability refers more to the consistent output and availability of the energy source, not primarily to its price stability.

I would prefer solar energy for running street­ lights, water pumps for irrigation and heating my house because of the following reasons:

1. Solar energy is a renewable source of energy which can be harnessed in most of the areas of the world.
2. It can be used for diverse purposes - to produce electricity in areas without access to the energy grid, to distill water in regions with limited clean water supplies and to power satellites in space.
3. Solar energy systems do not require a lot of maintenance. Most reliable solar panel manufacturers give 20-25 years warranty. Also, as there are no moving parts, there is no wear and tear. So, after covering the initial cost of the solar energy system, it requires little spending on maintenance and repair work.
4. It saves fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, used to produce electricity and also reduces electricity bills.

Yes, I believe that LPG should be replaced by biogas because of the following reasons:

1. Renewable and sustainable — Biogas is produced from organic waste, making it a renewable energy source and reducing reliance on finite fossil fuels.
2. Effective waste management — Biogas production helps in the decomposition of organic waste, offering an efficient waste management solution and reducing landfill waste.
3. Lower emissions — Biogas emits fewer greenhouse gases and pollutants compared to LPG, leading to improved air quality and reduced environmental impact.
4. Cost-effectiveness — In areas with abundant biomass waste, biogas production can be a cost-effective alternative, reducing the reliance on costly LPG cylinders.
5. Energy independence — Biogas provides a decentralized energy source, promoting energy independence in rural areas by producing locally available biogas instead of relying on LPG cylinder refills.