new sources of energy and their importance in India? class 10
Answers
The energy policy of India is largely defined by the country's expanding energy deficit and increased focus on developing alternative sources of energy,[1][2] particularly nuclear, solar and wind energy. India ranks 81 position in overall energy self-sufficiency at 66% in 2014.[3][4]
The primary energy consumption in India is the third biggest after China and USA with 5.6% global share in 2017.[5][6] The total primary energy consumption from crude oil (221.1 Mtoe; 29.34%), natural gas (46.6 Mtoe; 6.18%), coal (424 Mtoe; 56.26%), nuclear energy (8.7 Mtoe; 1.15%), hydro electricity (30.7 Mtoe; 4.07%) and renewable power (21.8 Mtoe; 2.89%) is 753.7 Mtoe (excluding traditional biomass use) in the calendar year 2017.[5] In 2017, India's net imports are nearly 198.8 million tons of crude oil and its products, 25.7 Mtoe of LNG and 129.8 Mtoe coal totaling to 354.3 Mtoe of primary energy which is equal to 47% of total primary energy consumption. About 75% of India's electricity generation is from fossil fuels. India is surplus in electricity generation and also marginal exporter of electricity in 2017.[7] India is largely dependent on fossil fuel imports to meet its energy demands – by 2030, India's dependence on energy imports is expected to exceed 53% of the country's total energy consumption.[1] In 2009-10, the country imported 159.26 million tonnes of crude oil which amounts to 80% of its domestic crude oil consumption and 31% of the country's total imports are oil imports.[1][8] By the end of calendar year 2015, India has become a power surplus country with huge power generation capacity idling for want of electricity demand.[9] India ranks second after China in renewables production with 208.7 Mtoe in 2014.[3]
In 2015-16, the per-capita energy consumption is 22.042 Giga Joules (0.527 Mtoe ) excluding traditional biomass use and the energy intensity of the Indian economy is 0.271 Mega Joules per INR (65 kcal/INR).[10] Due to rapid economic expansion, India has one of the world's fastest growing energy markets and is expected to be the second-largest contributor to the increase in global energy demand by 2035, accounting for 18% of the rise in global energy consumption.[11] Given India's growing energy demands and limited domestic fossil fuel reserves, the country has ambitious plans to expand its renewable and most worked out nuclear power programme.[12] India has the world's fourth largest wind power market and also plans to add about 100,000 MW of solar power capacity by 2020.[13][14] India also envisages to increase the contribution of nuclear power to overall electricity generation capacity from 4.2% to 9% within 25 years.[15] The country has five nuclear reactors under construction (third highest in the world) and plans to construct 18 additional nuclear reactors (second highest in the world) by 2025.[16]
Indian solar power PV tariff has fallen to ₹2.44 (3.4¢ US) per kWh in May 2017 which is lower than any other type of power generation in India.[17] In the year 2016, the levelized tariff in US$ for solar PV electricity has fallen below 2.42 cents/kWh.[18][19] Also the international tariff of solar thermal storage power plants has fallen to US$6.3 cents/kWh which is cheaper than fossil fuel plants.[20][21][22] The cheaper hybrid solar power (mix of solar PV and solar thermal storage power) need not depend on costly and polluting coal/gas fired power generation for ensuring stable grid operation.[23] Solar electricity price is going to become the benchmark price for deciding the other fuel prices (petroleum products, natural gas/biogas/LNG, CNG, LPG, coal, lignite, biomass, etc.) based on their ultimate use and advantages.[24][25]