Prospects and Programmes of Development of Solar Energy in India In India, the average global radiation is around 4-7 kWh per sq m per day with about 2,300-3,200 sunshine hours per year, which can be judiciously exploited to meet our ever increasing energy requirements.
Since inception the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sottrces (MNES) has been implementing a solar energy programme to provide electricity to rural and remote areas, make energy available for pumping of water for irrigation and drinking purposes and generating thermal energy for water heating, cooking, distillation of water and drying of farm products. Significant progress has been achieved both in terms of development of various solar energy products and their utilisation. The importanc~ of solar energy as a means of energy generation and conservation has been recognised by users in a number of sectors.
Solar water heating, solar cooking, solar air heating, solar photovoltaic (SPV) cells and solar buildings are important components of the Indian solar energy programme.Besides the above-mentioned sources, biomass is also an important alternative source of power generation.
Showing posts with label Energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Energy. Show all posts
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Solar Energy
Solar Energy Solar energy represents the earth's most abundant energy resource. Apart from its direct availability for diverse applications, solar energy is responsible for the creation of other renewable energy sources such as wind, flowing streams and rivers, photosynthetic production of biomass and thermal gradients in the ocean. Solar energy is being used by mankind from time immemorial for various purposes. More recent applications of solar energy, such as its direct conversion to electricity and transformation to thermal energy at various temperatures, have expanded its potential use enormously. It has a number of characteristics that make it a verv' desirable option to meet the increasing energy needs of a growing population like ours. A peren.nial source with an unlimited.
supply, solar energy has no negative impact on environment and is available everywhere freely. Its suitability for decentralised applications and envIronmentally benign nature make it a very attractive option to supplement the energy supply from other sources.
supply, solar energy has no negative impact on environment and is available everywhere freely. Its suitability for decentralised applications and envIronmentally benign nature make it a very attractive option to supplement the energy supply from other sources.
Wind Energy
Wind Energy Wind power has been harnessed for centuries for pumping water for irrigation and driving mills. It can also be used for generating electricity.
According to the annual report (2004-05) of the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, (MNES) on shore wind power potential in India has been assessed at 45,000 MW assuming one per cent of land availability for wind power generation in the potential areas. However, technical potential is limited to only 13,000 MW assuming 20 per cent grid penetration, which will go up with the augmentation of grid capacity in potential states. India has the fifth largest wind power installed capacity in the world.
The coastal states of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Orissa are better placed in regard to wind energy, as constant wind speeds above 10 km per hour are prevalent over coastal regions of these states. Notable progress has been made in the manufacture of wind turbines and wind turbine components to meet the domestic as well as export markets. Tamil Nadu leads the wind power development accounting for about 54 per cent of the total installed capacity.
The Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET) is implementing the Wind Resources Assessment Programme in coordination with the state nodal agencies. As many as 25 states and Union territories are covered under the Programme, which involves establishment of around 1,150 wind monitoring and wind mapping stations. Of these, 50 monitoring stations are at present in operation and the remaining stations have been closed down after collection of data.
According to the annual report (2004-05) of the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, (MNES) on shore wind power potential in India has been assessed at 45,000 MW assuming one per cent of land availability for wind power generation in the potential areas. However, technical potential is limited to only 13,000 MW assuming 20 per cent grid penetration, which will go up with the augmentation of grid capacity in potential states. India has the fifth largest wind power installed capacity in the world.
The coastal states of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Orissa are better placed in regard to wind energy, as constant wind speeds above 10 km per hour are prevalent over coastal regions of these states. Notable progress has been made in the manufacture of wind turbines and wind turbine components to meet the domestic as well as export markets. Tamil Nadu leads the wind power development accounting for about 54 per cent of the total installed capacity.
The Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET) is implementing the Wind Resources Assessment Programme in coordination with the state nodal agencies. As many as 25 states and Union territories are covered under the Programme, which involves establishment of around 1,150 wind monitoring and wind mapping stations. Of these, 50 monitoring stations are at present in operation and the remaining stations have been closed down after collection of data.
Tidal Energy
Tidal Energy The vast potential of energy of the seas and oceans, which cover about three-fourth of our planet, can make a significant contribution to tide over the energy crisis. Ocean contains renewable energy in the form of temperature gradients, waves, tides and ocean currents, which can be used to generate electricity in an environment-friendly manner. Tidal power, wave power and ocean thermal energy conversion are the three most well developed technologies. The realisation of power from ocean at present is limited because of large technological gaps and limited resources. With the present technology only tides can be harnessed on commercial basis.
Tidal power has already been successfully developed on the Rance Estuary in Brittany, France. Other coastal countries have also taken steps to harness this alternative source for producing electricity. However, there are only few sites in the whole world where it could be developed. Further, initial development costs of generating tidal energy are enormous.
Progress in India In India, the Gulf of Kutch and the Gulf of Cambay in Gujarat and the delta of the Ganga in Sunderbans area of West Bengal have so far been known as potential sites for generating tidal power. However, a systematic study to assess the tidal power potential in the country through the Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune is being planned. Research, development, surveys and demonstration projects on the development of ocean energy are being taken up through various research, scientific and educational institutions, national laboratories, universities, industries and user organisations.
A detailed project report for setting up of a tidal power plant of 3 MW capacity at Durgaduani Creek in Sunderbans area of West Bengal, prepared through the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA), Kolkata, has been examined and it is found that current technology levels cannot produce electricity at economically acceptable rates.
Tidal power has already been successfully developed on the Rance Estuary in Brittany, France. Other coastal countries have also taken steps to harness this alternative source for producing electricity. However, there are only few sites in the whole world where it could be developed. Further, initial development costs of generating tidal energy are enormous.
Progress in India In India, the Gulf of Kutch and the Gulf of Cambay in Gujarat and the delta of the Ganga in Sunderbans area of West Bengal have so far been known as potential sites for generating tidal power. However, a systematic study to assess the tidal power potential in the country through the Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune is being planned. Research, development, surveys and demonstration projects on the development of ocean energy are being taken up through various research, scientific and educational institutions, national laboratories, universities, industries and user organisations.
A detailed project report for setting up of a tidal power plant of 3 MW capacity at Durgaduani Creek in Sunderbans area of West Bengal, prepared through the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA), Kolkata, has been examined and it is found that current technology levels cannot produce electricity at economically acceptable rates.
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ENERGY: Geothermal Energy
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ENERGY
(i) Geothermal Energy This a kind of energy available as heat emitted from within the earth's crust. usually as hot springs, emissions of dry or wet steam. Geothermal energy can be harnessed for power generation, space heating and other thermal applications.
Geothermal energy is most used in Iceland, where it supplies about 15 per cent of the total domestic demand of electricity, mostly for central heating, which, includes domestic heating for the whole of the capital, Reykjavik. Italy, US, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Turkey and former USSR have also shown keen interest in exploiting geothermal power from steam or hot water sources.
Progress in India Preliminary data of resource assessment has been generated for 340 hot springs in the country.
Magneto telluricjnvestigations for assessing the suitability of sites and other studies have been taken up at a few sites through National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad. The NGRI has been conducting magnetotelluric (MT) studies in Satluj-Spiti, Beas and Parbati valley in Himachal Pradesh, Badrinath-Tapovan in Uttaranchal and Surajkund in Jharkhand. According to MNES sources, a total of 36 stations have been set up in Badrinath-Tapovan region to collect the data, which is being analysed through computer modeling and quantitative interpretation. Currently, harnessing geothermal energy is not commercially viable.
(i) Geothermal Energy This a kind of energy available as heat emitted from within the earth's crust. usually as hot springs, emissions of dry or wet steam. Geothermal energy can be harnessed for power generation, space heating and other thermal applications.
Geothermal energy is most used in Iceland, where it supplies about 15 per cent of the total domestic demand of electricity, mostly for central heating, which, includes domestic heating for the whole of the capital, Reykjavik. Italy, US, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Turkey and former USSR have also shown keen interest in exploiting geothermal power from steam or hot water sources.
Progress in India Preliminary data of resource assessment has been generated for 340 hot springs in the country.
Magneto telluricjnvestigations for assessing the suitability of sites and other studies have been taken up at a few sites through National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad. The NGRI has been conducting magnetotelluric (MT) studies in Satluj-Spiti, Beas and Parbati valley in Himachal Pradesh, Badrinath-Tapovan in Uttaranchal and Surajkund in Jharkhand. According to MNES sources, a total of 36 stations have been set up in Badrinath-Tapovan region to collect the data, which is being analysed through computer modeling and quantitative interpretation. Currently, harnessing geothermal energy is not commercially viable.
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