RENEWABLE & NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES IN INDIA

G R ARUN PRAKASH
19BLA1035
INTRODUCTION:
Natural resources are materials or things that people use from the earth. There are two
types of natural resources. The first are renewable natural resources. They are called renewable
because they can grow again or never run out. The second are called nonrenewable natural
resources. These are things that can run out or be used up. They usually come from the ground.
Most natural resources, such as coal and petroleum, were formed millions of years ago. Other
resources, such as sunlight, were present even before the earth was formed. Regardless, we all
are dependent on these resources in some way or the other. These resources are termed as natural
resources and are very important for life on earth.

RENEWABLE RESOURCES:

The resources which cannot be exhausted even after continuous utilization are termed as
renewable resources. Examples of renewable resources are the sun, wind, and tidal energy.

Advantages of Renewable energy:

 It is an inexhaustible energy.
 This energy is pollution-free and doesn't provide greenhouse gas.
 It is easily generated.
 Renewable resources are unlimited.
 These resources have low carbon emissions.
 You don't have to depend on other countries for the supply of renewable sources.

Disadvantages of Renewable resources:

 It is difficult to set up a renewable energy plant due to feasibility constraints.

 Energy like solar energy is used only during the daytime. You cannot use it during the
rainy season and at night times.

NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES:

The resources which cannot be immediately replaced once they are depleted are called
Non-renewable resources. Examples of Non-renewable resources include fossil fuels, such as
coal, petroleum and natural gas and rare minerals typically found in meteorites.

Advantages of Non-renewable resources:

 Non-renewable resources are affordable, for example, diesel and oil.

 Easily accessible and compatible.
  It is easy to store.

Disadvantages of Non-renewable resources:

 Once the energy source is used up then it cannot be replaced.

 It increases greenhouse gases.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES:

 Renewable resources cannot be changed over time whereas non-renewable resources

deplete with time.
 Renewable resources include water and sunlight whereas non-renewable resources
include fossil fuels like petroleum and coal.
 Renewable resources have low carbon release whereas non-renewable resources have
high carbon emission values.
 The cost of renewable resources is high whereas the cost of non-renewable resources is
low.
 Infrastructure of renewable energy is expensive and not easily formed in most countries
whereas infrastructure of non-renewable energy is cost-effective.
 Renewable resources require a large area whereas non-renewable resources occupy a
lesser area.
 When natural gas, coal, and oil are burned to form energy, they emit gases like carbon
dioxide. It is clear that not all energy that is produced from renewable sources is
sustainable. Much renewable energy has a low adverse impact on human health and the
environment.

POWER SECTOR IN INDIA:

Power is among the most critical components of infrastructure, crucial for the economic
growth and welfare of nations. The existence and development of adequate power infrastructure
is essential for sustained growth of the Indian economy.

India’s power sector is one of the most diversified in the world. Sources of power generation
range from conventional sources such as coal, lignite, natural gas, oil, hydro and nuclear power,
to viable non-conventional sources such as wind, solar, agricultural and domestic waste.
Electricity demand in the country has increased rapidly and is expected to rise further in the
years to come. In order to meet the increasing demand for electricity in the country, massive
addition to the installed generating capacity is required.
India was ranked fourth in wind power, fifth in solar power and fourth in renewable power
installed capacity, as of 2020. India is the only country among the G20 nations that is on track to
achieve the targets under the Paris Agreement.

NON RENEWABLE RESOURCES IN INDIA:

The Non-renewable energy has some advantages that make them viable in country like
India. They are cheap and easy to use. A small amount of nuclear power can be used to produce
large amount of power. Fossil fuel such as coal, petroleum and natural gases nuclear power like
uranium and metal ors are some examples non renewable resource found in India. Coal is the
mainly used energy in India and occupies the leading position. Coal mining in India started in
1814. Natural gas in India has gained importance particularly in last decade. Petroleum product
has become an imperative source if energy in India.

CAUSES FOR DEPLETION OF NON RENEWABLE RESOURCES IN INDIA:

OVER POPULATION: With the increasing population there would be an increase in the use of
consumer goods. To meet their demand natural resources such as minerals, forests, fossil fuels,
etc will be exploited. Many of these resources are limited or non-renewable such as land, fossil
fuels, minerals etc. Large-scale consumption of resources such as fossil fuel, minerals etc and
high consumption of fertilizers and fossil fuel leads to pollution of air, water and soil. Human
activity such as mining, destroying forests, consuming resources upsets the ecological balance in
nature. A lot of human activities also lead to depletion of the ozone layer.

TECHNOLOGICAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT: Technological and industrial

development gives us an opportunity to use our natural resources in many new ways.
Industrialization led to mass production, which means that we can produce more and more goods
in a shorter period of time. However, this has rapidly increased the usage of minerals, fuels such
as coal, petrol and packaging material such as paper and wood.
EXCESSIVE OR IRRATIONAL USE: The rise in human population along with growing
urbanization and economic growth are leading to an overuse of resources. There is a limited
capacity of the planet to meet the increasing demand for resources and to absorb the emissions
and waste resulting from their use. In several cases it has been seen that the existing demand
exceeds the carrying capacity of the environment. Fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas, take
millions of years to form. But they are being used at a faster rate, leading to an energy crisis.

NON-EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES: non renewable resources are not

distributing in a uniform way. At one place a particular resource may be in excess and in other
places they may be scarcely available. In India, coal reserves are found in Jharkhand and Orissa
but there are no known reserves in Punjab and Haryana. India. Oil is present in abundance in the
Middle East but not so much in other parts of the world.

INDUSTRIALIZATION: Industry consists of manufacturing goods or providing services.

Industrialization requires natural resources such as minerals, agricultural products and forest
products as raw material. It also uses natural resources such as fossil fuels for providing energy
in the process of manufacturing. Water is also used in many industrial processes. This causes
natural resources to be depleted. Industry also uses land for factories offices, road and housing.
Industrialization also leads to generation of waste and industrial pollution.

MINING: Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the
earth, from an ore body like coal, oil, fuels, petroleum products etc. Mining activities are carried
out for extracting mineral resources. They affect the local landscape due to large scale digging up
processes. Mining may result in many negative effects such as water contamination, subsidence
of land, air pollution and desertification. Desertification occurs when activities, such as mining
cause a loss of moisture in the soil.

CONSERVATION OF NON RENEWABLE RESOURCES:

PROHIBITING WASTAGE OF RESOURCES: Wastage of resources should be discouraged.

For example, using public transport in place of individual vehicles helps to conserve valuable
petrol. Use of substitute: Alternative sources of energy like solar energy, wind energy, tidal
energy, energy from biomass (biogas), etc., can be used on a large scale to substitute the fossil
fuels. Use of solar cookers and biogas for cooking must be encouraged.

RECYCLING RESOURCES: All types of metal wastes, glass and paper and plastic can be
recycled and used again. Hence, recycling plastic helps to conserve fuels. Recycling paper helps
to conserve forests.

REPAIR AND REUSE: Any object or appliance that does not work should not be discarded.
Instead we should repair and reuse it. The repair and reuse helps to conserve resources as it
discourages production and wastage.
CURRENT SCENARIO OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN INDIA:

Over the years, renewable energy sector has emerged as a significant player in India
especially affecting the power generation capacity. This supports the government’s agenda of
sustainable development while becoming an integral part in meeting the nation’s energy needs.
For past two years, the Indian Government has taken several initiatives such as introduction of
the concept of solar parks, organizing RE-Invest 2015—a global investors’ meet, launching of a
massive grid connected rooftop solar programme, earmarking of Rs.38,000 crore (Euros 4
billion) for a Green Energy Corridor, eight-fold increase in clean environment cess from Rs.50
per tonne to Rs.400 per tonne (Euro 0.62 to Euros 5 per tonne) , solar pump scheme with a target
of installing 100,000 solar pumps and programme to train 50,000 people for solar installations
under the Surya Mitra scheme, no inter-state transmission charges and losses to be levied for
solar and wind power, compulsory procurement of 100 per cent power from waste to energy
plants, and Renewable Generation Obligations on new thermal and lignite plants, etc.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES:

Some initiatives by the Government of India to boost the Indian renewable energy sector are as
follows:

A new Hydropower policy for 2018-28 has been drafted for the growth of hydro projects in the
country.

The Government of India has announced plans to implement a US$ 238 million (Euros 210
million) National Mission on advanced ultra-supercritical technologies for cleaner coal
utilization.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has decided to provide custom and excise
duty benefits to the solar rooftop sector, which in turn will lower the cost of setting up as well as
generate power, thus boosting growth.

Around 4.96 million household size biogas plants were installed in the country under the
National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP) by 2016-17.

The Indian Railways is taking increased efforts through sustained energy efficient measures and
maximum use of clean fuel to cut down emission level by 33 per cent by 2030.

FUTURE PROSPECTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN INDIA:

With right investments in green technologies, we can say that India is well positioned to
achieve the ambitious renewable energy targets. The pursuit towards cleaner energy will play a
key role in supporting country’s transition to a full sustainable energy system. It is not a hidden
fact that India is the world’s fourth-largest carbon emitter with its total population of 1.3 billion
people with power sector contributing majorly to the same. However, in the recent years, India
has made significant progress in field of renewable energy. Global climate change concerns have
pushed the Government to develop a detailed plan for clean and sustainable power for all.

As per the research by University of Technology (LUT) in Finland, owning to an abundance of

renewable resources, there is a great potential for India to move into a fully renewable electricity
system by 2050. This is possible if we can employ sophisticated technologies. Renewable
energy’s development in India looks bright as around 293 global and domestic companies have
committed to generate 266 GW of solar, wind, mini hydel and biomass-based power in India
over the next decade. This would entail an investment of $310 billion - $350 billion (Euros 27
billion to Euros 30 billion). The International Finance Corporation, the investment arm of the
World Bank Group, is planning to invest about $6 billion (Euros 5 billion) by 2022 in several
sustainable and renewable energy programs in India. With the investment potential of INR 15
trillion (Euros 187 billion) over the next four to five years in Indian power sector indicates
immense opportunities in power generation, distribution, transmission and equipment. Further,
renewable energy storage market in India is also expected to witness robust growth, over the next
decade, once the cost of storage declines, which is likely to happen because of sheer volume
growth through the electric vehicle route.

CONCLUSION:

India’s energy consumption is poised to increase rather

rapidly in the years to come for sustaining the economic growth. India’s many states have
geographic advantage by which India can be in top no. country in self sustainability in green
energy and can reduce carbon emissions. By combination of the proper technology and
proper human behavior attitude for Renewable Energy, India can achieve its target. RE has a
scope to decrease dependence on traditional energy consumptions fuels which are harmful for
environment and people health .By investing in RE India can improve environment and can
create new industries and job related with green energy or renewable energy (RE).

REFERENACES:
 https://www.indiary.org/en/legal-advice/Renewable-Energy-in-India-Current-Status-and-
Future-Potential-2-79-429
 https://www.aakash.ac.in/important-concepts/biology/renewable-and-non-renewable-
resources
 https://www.ukessays.com/essays/environmental-sciences/the-non-renewable-resources-
in-india-environmental-sciences-essay.php
 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353346266_Renewable_Non-
Renewable_Energy_Sources_in_India_A_Study_on_Future_Prospects