TELANGANA MODEL SCHOOL -IBRAHIMPATNAM[JAGTIAL]
EASSY WRITING COMPETITIONS
TOPIC: Renewable Energy Sources
renewable energy, usable energy derived from
replenishable sources such as the Sun (solar
energy), wind (wind power), rivers (hydroelectric power),
hot springs (geothermal energy), tides (tidal power),
and biomass (biofuels).
1.Solar energy, radiation from the Sun capable of producing heat,
causing chemical reactions, or generating electricity. The total amount of solar
energy incident on Earth is vastly in excess of the world’s current and
anticipated energy requirements. If suitably harnessed, this
highly diffused source has the potential to satisfy all future energy needs. In
the 21st century solar energy has become increasingly attractive as
a renewable energy source because of its inexhaustible supply and its
nonpolluting character, in stark contrast to the finite fossil
fuels coal, petroleum, and natural gas.
2.Wind power is the use of wind energy to generate useful work. Historically,
wind power was used by sails, windmills and windpumps, but today it is mostly
used to generate electricity. This article deals only with wind power for
electricity generation. Today, wind power is generated almost completely
with wind turbines, generally grouped into wind farms and connected to
the electrical grid.
3.Hydropower also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-
running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved
by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a water source to
produce power.[1] Hydropower is a method of sustainable energy production.
Hydropower is now used principally for hydroelectric power generation, and is
also applied as one half of an energy storage system known as pumped-storage
hydroelectricity.
4. Geothermal energy is thermal energy extracted from the Earth's crust. It
combines energy from the formation of the planet and from radioactive decay.
Geothermal energy has been exploited as a source of heat and/or electric
power for millennia.
5. Tidal power or tidal energy is harnessed by converting energy from tides into
useful forms of power, mainly electricity using various methods.Tides are more
predictable than the wind and the sun. Among sources of renewable energy,
tidal energy has traditionally suffered from relatively high cost and limited
availability of sites with sufficiently high tidal ranges or flow velocities, thus
constricting its total availability.
Renewable energy in India
India is the world's 3rd largest consumer of electricity and the world's 3rd
largest renewable energy producer with 40% of energy capacity installed in
the year 2022 (160 GW of 400 GW) coming from renewable sources. Ernst &
Young's (EY) 2021 Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI)
ranked India 3rd behind USA and China.[3][4] In FY2023-24, India is planning to
issue 50 GW tenders for wind, solar and hybrid projects.[5] India has committed
for a goal of 500 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030.
In 2016, Paris Agreement's Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions targets, India made commitment of producing 50% of its total
electricity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
India has also set a target of producing 175 GW by 2022 and 500 GW by 2030
from renewable energy.
In 2020, 3 of the world's top 5 largest solar parks were in India including
world's largest 2255 MW Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan and world's second-
largest solar park of 2000 MW Pavgada Solar Park Tumkur in Karnataka and
1000 MW Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.
Renewable energy sources have a combined installed capacity of 203+ GW.
As of Oct 2024, Renewable energy sources, including large hydropower, have a combined
installed capacity of 201.45 GW.
The following is the installed capacity for Renewables:
Wind power: 47.71 GW
Solar Power: 92.19 GW
Biomass/Co-generation: 10.72 GW
Small Hydro Power: 5.07 GW
Waste To Energy: 0.60 GW
Large Hydro: 46.96 GW
India has set a target to reduce the carbon intensity of the nation’s economy by less than
45% by the end of the decade, achieve 50 percent cumulative electric power installed by
2030 from renewables, and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. India aims for 500
GW of renewable energy installed capacity by 2030.
Union Budget 2024 Highlights
In the Union Budget 2024-25, The Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Solar Power
(Grid) has been allocated INR 10,000 Cr, an increase of 110% from INR 4,757 Cr
allocated in the Union Budget 2023-25.
PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, launched in February 2024 with an outlay of INR
75,000 Cr, has been allocated INR 6,250 Cr.
Exemption of Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on imports of 25 critical minerals
important for the renewable energy sectors has also been announced.
Global comparison
Global rank:
India ranks first in terms of population and accounts for 17% of the world's population.
India is globally ranked 3rd in consumption of energy. In terms of installed capacity and
investment in renewable energy, the EY's Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index
(RECAI) ranking in July 2021 is as follows:
Countr RECAI
Score
y Rank
USA 70.7 1
China 68.7 2
3
India 66.2
Grid-connected total including non-renewable and renewable
Since 2019, the hydropower generated by the under Ministry of Power is also counted
towards Ministry of New and Renewable Energy's Renewable Energy Purchase Obligation
(REPO) targets, under which the DISCOMs (Distribution Companies) of various states have
to source a certain percentage of their power from Renewable Energy Sources under two
categories, Solar and Non-Solar.
Installed Capacity
Type Source Share
(GW)
Coal 205.1 56.09%
Gas 25.0 6.84%
Non-
Diesel 0.5 0.14%
renewable
Nuclear 6.7 0.36%
Subtotal Non-renewable 237.3 63%
Renewable Large hydro 45.7 12.05%
Small hydropower 4.7 1.29%
Installed Capacity
Type Source Share
(GW)
Solar power 38.8 10.61%
Wind power 38.7 10.59%
Biomass power 0.2 0.05%
Waste-to-Power 0.2 0.05%
Subtotal Renewable 135.0 37%
Both non-renewable and
Total 365.6 100.00%
renewable
