Alternative Energy Sources

Sustainable energy involves increasing production of renewable energy, making

safe energy universally available, and energy conservation. Clockwise from top
left: Concentrated solar power with molten salt heat storage in Spain, wind
energy in South Africa, electrified public transport in Singapore, and clean
cooking in Ethiopia
Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Most
definitions of sustainable energy include considerations of environmental
aspects such as greenhouse gas emissions and social and economic aspects
such as energy poverty. Renewable energy sources such as wind, hydroelectric
power, solar, and geothermal energy are generally far more sustainable than
fossil fuel sources. However, some renewable energy projects, such as the
clearing of forests to produce biofuels, can cause severe environmental
damage. The role of non-renewable energy sources in sustainable energy has
been controversial. Nuclear power is a low-carbon source whose historic
mortality rates are comparable to wind and solar, but its sustainability has
been debated because of concerns about radioactive waste, nuclear
proliferation, and accidents. Switching from coal to natural gas has
environmental benefits, including a lower climate impact, but may lead to a
delay in switching to more sustainable options. Carbon capture and
storage can be built into power plants to remove their carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions, but is expensive and has seldom been implemented.
Fossil fuels provide 85% of the world's energy consumption and the energy system is
responsible for 76% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Around 790 million people
in developing countries lack access to electricity and 2.6 billion rely on polluting fuels
such as wood or charcoal to cook. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to levels
consistent with the 2015 Paris Agreement will require a system-wide transformation
of the way energy is produced, distributed, stored, and consumed. The burning of
fossil fuels and biomass is a major contributor to air pollution, which causes an
estimated 7 million deaths each year. Therefore, the transition to a low-carbon
energy system would have strong co-benefits for human health. Pathways exist to
provide universal access to electricity and clean cooking in ways that are compatible
with climate goals, while bringing major health and economic benefits to developing
countries.
In proposed climate change mitigation pathways that are compatible with
limiting global warming to 2 °C (3.6 °F), the world rapidly phases out coal-fired
power plants, produces more electricity from clean sources such
as wind and solar, and shifts towards using electricity instead of fuels in sectors
such as transport and heating buildings. For some energy-intensive
technologies and processes that are difficult to electrify, many pathways
describe a growing role for hydrogen fuel produced from low-emission energy
sources. To accommodate larger shares of variable renewable
energy, electrical grids require flexibility through infrastructure such as energy
storage. To make deep reductions in emissions, infrastructure and
technologies that use energy, such as buildings and transport systems, would
need to be changed to use clean forms of energy and also to conserve energy.
Some critical technologies for eliminating energy-related greenhouse gas
emissions are not yet mature.
Wind and solar energy generated 8.5% of worldwide electricity in 2019.
This share has grown rapidly while costs have fallen and are projected
to continue falling. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) estimates that 2.5% of world gross domestic
product (GDP) would need to be invested in the energy system each
year between 2016 and 2035 to limit global warming to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F).
Well-designed government policies that promote energy system
transformation can lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve air
quality. In many cases they also increase energy security. Policy
approaches include carbon pricing, renewable portfolio standards,
phase-outs of fossil fuel subsidies, and the development of infrastructure
to support electrification and sustainable transport. Funding research,
development, and demonstration of new clean energy technologies is
also an important role of government.
Alternative energy is energy that does not come from fossil fuels,
and thus produces little to no greenhouse gases like carbon
dioxide (CO2). This means that energy produced from alternative
sources does not contribute to the greenhouse effect that
causes climate change. You can explore CO2 emissions using the
MapMaker Interactive here.

These energy sources are referred to as “alternative” because they

represent the alternative to coal, oil, and natural gas, which have been
the most common sources of energy since the Industrial Revolution.
These fossil fuels emit high levels of CO2 when burned to produce energy
and electricity. Alternative energy, however, should not be confused
with renewable energy, although many renewable energy sources can
also be considered alternative. Solar power, for example, is both
renewable and alternative because it will always be abundant and
it emits no greenhouse gases. Nuclear power, however, is alternative but
not renewable, since it uses uranium, a finite resource. Learn more
about renewable energy using the MapMaker Interactive here.

This map shows the average percentage of a country’s total energy use
that came from alternative sources between the years 2006-2010.
Alternative energy here includes hydroelectric energy, solar
energy, geothermal energy, wind energy, nuclear energy, and biomass
energy. The data come from the World Bank. It is important to note that
while the World Bank considers nuclear energy an alternative energy
source, not all energy policy experts agree on how to categorize nuclear
energy.

Facts:
• In 1980, only three countries—Iceland, Norway, and
Switzerland—got more than 30% of their energy from
alternative sources, including nuclear energy. In 2009, an
additional seven countries got more than 30% of their energy
from alternative sources. These were Paraguay, Tajikistan,
France, Sweden, Costa Rica, Lithuania, and Armenia.

• In 2010, Iceland used the equivalent of 16,842 kilograms of oil

per person, the highest per capita energy consumption of any
country in the world. However, most of that energy is not
 coming from oil, because Iceland gets 85% of its energy from
alternative sources, including hydroelectric and geothermal.
• In 2009, Paraguay got 99.45% of its energy from
hydroelectricity. The source of this enormous hydroelectric
capacity is the Itaipu Dam, the largest hydroelectric facility in
the world. The dam is built on the Parana River on the Brazil-
Paraguay border.
• Saudi Arabia is the only country in the G-20 group of major
economies that gets less than 1% of its energy from
alternative sources. A major oil exporter, Saudi Arabia gets
100% of its energy from fossil fuels.

Some Of Questions ask in Various Exams and Interview:

1. Why do you think there is a debate over whether nuclear
energy is a true alternative energy source?
Many advocates of renewable and alternative energies do not
categorize nuclear energy as an alternative source because of
the hazardous waste byproducts it produces, which then have
to be stored. In this way, it is not a completely non-polluting
energy source. However, nuclear energy produces little to no
greenhouse gases, unlike fossil fuels. The debate continues:
organizations like the World Bank have categorized nuclear
energy as an alternative energy, while the International
Renewable Energy Agency maintains that it is not.

2. Based on what you see in the MapMaker Interactive, which

region of the world gets the most of its energy from alternative
sources? Which region gets the least?
Europe gets the most of its energy from alternative sources.
European countries make up eight of the top ten and fourteen
of the top twenty countries that utilize the most alternative
energy sources. The most common alternative energy sources
in Europe are hydroelectric and nuclear. The Middle East gets
the least amount of its energy from alternative energy sources.
Nine countries in the Middle East get 0% of their energy from
alternative sources.
 3. What factors enable a country to get a significant portion of its
energy from alternative energy sources?
A strong resource base and adequate technology are the most
important factors that allow a country to get its energy from
alternative sources. The mountainous country of Tajikistan, for
example, which got 59% of its energy from alternative sources
in 2009, has a dense network of alpine lakes and rivers. The
Sangtuda 1 Power Plant, located on the Vakhsh River,
produces about 12% of Tajikistan's total energy on its own.

Types of Alternative Sources of Energy

The types of alternative sources of energy are explained below:

Wind Energy
The kinetic energy of high-speed winds is used to generate electricity
by wind-powered generators. Windmills harness wind energy. A
windmill consists of a tall pole on the top of which a fan-like
structure is attached. This fan-like structure is called a wind turbine.

The force of high-speed winds makes the blades of the fan attached
to the windmill rotate. The blades of the windmill are connected to
the shaft of a generator, which also rotates with the movement of

blades. This makes the generator produce electricity. A windmill is also used to lift
water from a well. Wind energy is a renewable source of energy.

Alternative Sources of Energy – Wind Energy

Wind Energy
Hydroelectric Energy
In a hydroelectric power plant, the potential of stored
water in a reservoir is converted into the kinetic energy of
water. This kinetic energy of water is used to rotate the
blades of the turbine connected to a generator. The
rotating turbine drives the generator’s shaft, thereby
converting the mechanical energy of the rotating shaft
into electrical energy. It is also a renewable source of
energy.

Solar Energy
Sun is the primary source of heat and light on the earth. The
energy received by the earth from the sun is
about 1.41.4 kilojoules per second per square meter, also known
as the solar constant. Solar energy can be harnessed with the help
of a solar cooker and solar cell. A solar cell is usually made of
silicon that directly converts sunlight into electricity.
A typical solar cell produces a voltage of 0.50.5 to 1V1V and can
produce about 0.7W0.7W of electricity. A solar panel consists of many solar
cells. The electricity requirements of many households in remote areas are
fulfilled by using solar panels. Street lights and traffic lights are also powered
by solar energy. Solar cells are used in calculators.

A solar cooker is a device used to cook food. It

consists of a box-like structure whose outer surface is
painted black to absorb more heat, a thick sheet of
glass to cover the food kept inside it, and a plane
mirror reflector. The food to be heated is kept inside
the box, and this box is kept in sunlight so that its
reflector faces the sun. The mirror reflector reflects the sun rays to the glass
sheet cover. The food absorbs the heat from the sun. Also, the thick glass sheet
does not allow the loss of heat from the solar cooker to the surroundings.

Geothermal Energy
The heat energy of the earth’s interiors is known as geothermal
energy. This energy is used to generate electricity. The trapped
molten rocks in the region under the earth’s surface called hot
spots heats the underground water. The steam produced by the
hot water is allowed to rotate the blades of the turbines, which
rotate the shafts of the generators connected to them.
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is the most reliable source of energy. The fission of one uran ium
atom produces million times the energy produced by burning one atom of carbon
from coal. Nuclear energy is produced by splitting the nucleus of a heavy atom into
lighter nuclei. This process is called nuclear fission. It generates a large amount of
energy that can be used to rotate generator turbines to produce electrical energy. In
nuclear fission, the nucleus of uranium or plutonium is bombarded with low-energy
neutrons.

Bioenergy
• In this source of energy electricity and gas are generated from the
organic matter known as biomass. Bioenergy is one of the resources
available to help meet the for energy, it includes electricity, heat and
transportation fuel.

Types Of Bioenergy
BIOMASS: A RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCE

Biomass is a renewable energy resource derived from plant- and algae-

based materials that include:

• Crop wastes
• Forest residues
• Purpose-grown
• Urban wood waste
grasses
• Food waste
• Woody energy
crops
• Microalgae

Biomass is a versatile renewable energy source. It can be converted into

liquid transportation fuels that are equivalent to fossil-based fuels, such
as gasoline, jet, and diesel fuel. Bioenergy technologies enable the reuse
of carbon from biomass and waste streams into reduced-emissions
fuels for cars, trucks, jets and ships; bioproducts; and renewable power.
BIOFUELS: ENERGY FOR TRANSPORTATION

Biomass is one type of renewable resource that can be converted into

liquid fuels—known as biofuels—for transportation. Biofuels include
cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and renewable hydrocarbon "drop-in" fuels.
The two most common types of biofuels in use today are ethanol and
biodiesel. Biofuels can be used in airplanes and most vehicles that are
on the road. Renewable transportation fuels that are functionally
equivalent to petroleum fuels lower the carbon intensity of our vehicles
and airplanes.

BIOPOWER: ENERGY FOR HEAT AND ELECTRICITY

Biopower technologies convert renewable biomass fuels into heat and

electricity using processes like those used with fossil fuels. There are
three ways to harvest the energy stored in biomass to produce biopower:
burning, bacterial decay, and conversion to a gas or liquid fuel. Biopower
can offset the need for carbon fuels burned in power plants, thus
lowering the carbon intensity of electricity generation. Unlike some forms
of intermittent renewable energy, biopower can increase the flexibility of
electricity generation and enhance the reliability of the electric grid.

BIOPRODUCTS: EVERYDAY COMMODITIES MADE FROM BIOMASS

Biomass is a versatile energy resource, much like petroleum. Beyond

converting biomass to biofuels for vehicle use, it can also serve as a
renewable alternative to fossil fuels in the manufacturing of bioproducts
such as plastics, lubricants, industrial chemicals, and many other
products currently derived from petroleum or natural gas. Mimicking the
existing petroleum refinery model, integrated biorefineries can produce
bioproducts alongside biofuels. This co-production strategy offers a
more efficient, cost-effective, and integrated approach to the use of U.S.
biomass resources. Revenue generated from bioproducts also offers
added value, improving the economics of biorefinery operations and
creating more cost-competitive biofuels.

Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a renewable fuel which can be made from vegetable oils, animal
fats, or recycled restaurant grease. Believe it or not, this can then be used in
diesel vehicles already on the road because its physical makeup is similar
enough to petroleum diesel, but it burns much more cleanly. Biodiesel is also
much safer. Not only is it easier on the environment if spilled, but it has a
flashpoint of over 130 degrees celsius, compared to 52 for normal diesel. Pure
biodiesel, known as B100, reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 75%
compared with normal diesel.

Electricity
Electric cars have been around a while but so far have struggled to enter the mass market.
Many hybrid vehicles now use electricity to reduce fuel consumption and thus reduce fuel
costs. While the power grid might be readily available in the west, charging stations for
these vehicles remains limited. In the United States, for example, there were only roughly
8,800 charging stations in 2014.

Ethanol
Ethanol is an alcoholic renewable that is made of the same kind of alcohol you find in
alcoholic beverages. Ethanol is then mixed in various degrees with traditional petrol.
The production and use of ethanol could reduce greenhouse gas emissions
anywhere between 52 and 86 percent. Additionally, the infrastructure already exists
to deal with ethanol, because it is the equipment used to store and dispense
gasoline, just with modifications to some materials. The drawback, however, is that
ethanol has less energy than petrol, meaning you need more of it to get the same
results.

Hydrogen
Hydrogen has virtually no greenhouse gas emissions. Power is generated in a
hydrogen fuel cell, which will only emit water vapor and warm air. The
difficulty is that hydrogen fuel must be extracted from water, hydrocarbons or
other organic matter. The process of doing this involves either natural gas or
high levels of energy which, of course, come from power plants. Storing
hydrogen is also a challenge, because it requires high pressures, low
temperatures, or chemical processes to be stored compactly.
Natural Gas
Natural Gas is already widely used for a number of purposes around the world.
It is an odorless mixture of hydrocarbons, most of which are methane. Natural
gas is considered a fossil fuel, but an alternative known as renewable natural
gas does exist. Biomethane is produced from waste, either from livestock or
even landfills through a process called anaerobic digestion. In this series of
processes, microorganisms break down biodegradable material. A major
advantage to renewable natural gas is that it is chemically identical to its fossil
fuel brother, meaning the existing infrastructure is perfectly useable.
Propane
Propane, or liquefied petroleum gas, is clean-burning and high-energy, making
it a tempting alternative. Propane vehicles are typically more expensive than
those running on petrol, though inversely propane is often cheaper than
petrol. Nevertheless, propane’s reduction of greenhouse gasses is only about
10%.

Benefits of Using Alternative Sources of Energy

1. Alternative sources of energy do not use fossil fuels, so they do not produce
greenhouse gas.
2. They are renewable. Therefore, they do not get exhausted by increasing their
consumption.
3. The construction of dams for hydroelectricity helps in controlling floods.
4. The use of solar cookers and solar water heaters helps in saving fossil fuels.
5. They save money because once their power plants are set up, they only require
maintenance.

Limitations of Renewable Sources of Energy

• 1. The initial installation of power plants is expensive. A large area of land is
needed to set up wind energy farms (about 22 hectares area is required to
set a wind energy farm for producing 1MW1MW power). It can only be set up
in areas where the minimum wind speed is about 15km/h.15km/h.
• 2. Many lands are submerged underwater while setting up a hydroelectric
power plant and building a dam. It drastically affects aquatic life and wildlife.
Methane gas is released when this submerged vegetation rots under
anaerobic condition.
• 3. There are limited sites for setting up geothermal energy and tidal energy
power plants.
• 4. Nuclear power plants produce radioactive wastes and radiation that can be
a dangerous hazard if leaked accidentally.
• 5. The efficiency of renewable sources of energy like solar energy is low on a
cloudy day.
 Case Studies

Community housing powers ahead

with solar energy
While Australia leads the world in the take-up of solar panels with more than a quarter of households
with rooftop solar systems, the application of solar for multi-dwelling community housing sites has been
slower.
The benefits of solar for this sector are obvious – lower power bills,
reduced ‘bill shock’ in winter, and lower carbon emissions. However, the
barrier to many community housing residents being able to access solar
power is technological rather than attitudinal. Until now, there have been
limited options for residents in apartments to access the benefits of solar
power and still retain independence through the ability to choose their
energy retailer.
Melbourne company Allume has made the benefits of solar power possible
for the tenants of community housing provider Housing Choices’ Altona
apartments. Using their SolShare technology, Allume has worked with
Housing Choices’ tenants to install a solar system that delivers financial and environmental benefits while
retaining separate metering and choice of energy supplier.
This technology enables the solar power to be shared among apartments using resident’s existing
electricity meters. The units can be supplied to any solar installer, allowing tendering processes for
installation of solar systems to be open and competitive.
To date, the residents of Housing Choices’ Altona apartments are saving an average of $423 per year on
power bills, and 93 tonnes per year of CO2.

Solar panels on the roof of Housing Choices’ Altona apartments.Photo source: Photo
courtesy of Housing Choices Australia

Hepburn Wind Community Co-

operative

Hepburn Wind is Australia’s first community-owned wind farm and has now been
successfully operating for 10 years. Located at Leonard’s Hill, Victoria, 100 kms north-
west of Melbourne, the 4.1 MW wind farm generates enough clean energy for over 2000
homes in the region. It is owned and operated by the Hepburn Community Wind Park Co-operative and is
the first community-owned wind farm in Australia, providing a model for further community-owned
renewable energy projects.
Hepburn Wind consists of two turbines known by the local community as Gale and Gusto, each with a
capacity of 2.05 MW. The cooperative decided to cap the wind farm at two turbines, as that was the
maximum export achievable on the distribution network, which also ensured it met the energy needs of
the community and is financially viable.
The cooperative looked to a variety of sources for funding including $10 million raised in small
investments from over 2,000 local and non-local retail investors, and the balance from state government
grants and a bank loan from Bendigo Bank.
Prior to the commissioning of the wind farm, the region was largely dependent on electricity from the
coal-fired power stations in the Latrobe Valley. Since 2011 when the wind farm first began to produce
power, it has averaged around 11,000 MWh of electricity each year. This has resulted in carbon
abatement of around 12,200 tonnes of CO2 each year.

Hepburn Wind, Australia’s first community-owned wind farm.

Related industries: critical

minerals

Our clean energy transition is well underway, with Australian mining playing a major role.
Commercial mining in Australia has provided commodities essential to our everyday lives from the early
days of European settlement. While the list of extracted minerals and the products made from them has
gradually changed over the years, imagine our existence today without copper for electronics, tin for
soldering, steel for building construction or aluminium for power lines.
Mining will continue to be important in our tech-driven future, in part because of ‘critical minerals’ and
their clean energy role.
Critical minerals are those considered vital to the economic well-being of the world's major and emerging
economies, yet whose supply may be at risk due to geological scarcity, geopolitical issues, trade policy or
other factors.
Many people have heard of some of the more common ones, like
cobalt, platinum and magnesium, but most people would
recognise very few of Australia’s official critical minerals.
This list includes minerals such as gallium, neodymium, indium
and antimony. They are used to make electronic devices, such as
mobile phones and flat screen products, fibreoptic cabling, wind
turbines, electric cars, rechargeable batteries, solar panels and
other high-tech applications.
Critical minerals are powering our renewable energy generation
and communication systems, and their role in creating and using
clean energy is expanding.
Lithium is an interesting example. Lithium-ion is the most common chemical method used to store energy
in batteries. Australia is home to globally significant lithium deposits and is the world’s largest producer,
supplying over a third of the global market.
In addition, with our large land mass and sunny skies, Australia has become a world leader in renewable
electricity generation. Over 1 in 4 houses has a rooftop solar system (the world’s highest per capita), and
we have created some of the largest wind and solar farms in the world. However, the biggest challenge
we, and other countries face, is storing excess renewable energy, and making it available when there is a
shortfall.
Small lithium-ion batteries support home solar panel systems, providing backup power after dark – an
inexpensive and efficient solution. However, batteries large enough to support the national electricity grid
are expensive and have limited capacity.
Big batteries usually consist of rows of household or vehicle-sized lithium-ion batteries installed together
in connected pods. At 300-megawatts and costing $160 million, one of the world’s largest big batteries
sits in a paddock near Geelong, Victoria. The battery improves grid security by providing extra capacity
during peak demand, and can supply 650,000 homes for an hour if required.
In addition to battery manufacture, lithium has many industrial uses and worldwide demand keeps
growing. The Minerals Council of Australia recently forecast world demand for lithium will grow by more
than 350% by 2030, and, not surprisingly, investment in its extraction and refinement has recently
surged.
Demand for other critical minerals is similarly expected to rise. Australia's domestic demand for most
major and minor minerals, including critical minerals, is relatively small; we export far more than we use
each year. We hold large resources of many critical minerals and our efficient extraction methods,
combined with strict environmental regulations, make us a major and favoured supplier to world
markets.
In 2013, Geoscience Australia, analysed the potential for Australia to supply critical minerals to the world.
The report titled ‘ Critical commodities for a high-tech world’ identified 22 out of 34 minerals assessed as
having at least moderate potential, including 7 ranked as having large or very large potential.
Geoscience Australia is helping to turn this resource potential into actual discovery through its eight-year
$225 million Exploring for the Future program. This program is providing Australians with improved
understanding of the nation’s minerals, energy and groundwater resource potential, including critical
minerals.
With critical minerals being so valuable to us, both in terms of export dollars and the clean energy
products we need, the Australian Government created the Critical Minerals Facilitation Office to help
Australia meet the challenge of developing our mineral resources. Australia is embracing the opportunity
to be a global leader in supplying the world with the critical minerals needed for a successful transition to
clean energy.

Lithium mining in Western Australia.

Bioenergy

Kenyan dairy farmer lighting a biogas lamp. Biogas produced from biomass is a renewable energy source that
can be burned for cooking or light.
A sugarcane plantation to produce ethanol in Brazil

Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals. It can either be burned to
produce heat and electricity or be converted into biofuels such as biodiesel and ethanol, which can be
used to power vehicles.
The climate impact of bioenergy varies considerably depending on where biomass feedstocks come
from and how they are grown. For example, burning wood for energy releases carbon dioxide; those
emissions can be significantly offset if the trees that were harvested are replaced by new trees in a
well-managed forest, as the new trees will absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they
grow. However, the establishment and cultivation of bioenergy crops can displace natural
ecosystems, degrade soils, and consume water resources and synthetic fertilisers. Approximately
one-third of all wood used for fuel is harvested unsustainably. Bioenergy feedstocks typically require
significant amounts of energy to harvest, dry, and transport; the energy usage for these processes
may emit greenhouse gases. In some cases, the impacts of land-use change, cultivation, and
processing can result in higher overall carbon emissions for bioenergy compared to using fossil fuels.
Use of farmland for growing biomass can result in less land being available for growing food. In the
United States, around 10% of motor gasoline has been replaced by corn-based ethanol, which
requires a significant proportion of the harvest. In Malaysia and Indonesia, clearing forests to
produce palm oil for biodiesel has led to serious social and environmental effects, as these forests
are critical carbon sinks and habitats for diverse species. Since photosynthesis captures only a small
fraction of the energy in sunlight, producing a given amount of bioenergy requires a large amount of
land compared to other renewable energy sources.
Second-generation biofuels which are produced from non-food plants or waste reduce
competition with food production, but may have other negative effects including trade-offs
with conservation areas and local air pollution. Relatively sustainable sources of biomass
include algae, waste, and crops grown on soil unsuitable for food production. If the biomass
source is agricultural or municipal waste, burning it or converting it into biogas provides a
way to dispose of this waste.
Carbon capture and storage technology can be used to capture emissions from bioenergy
power plants. This process is known as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)
and can result in net carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. However, BECCS can
also result in net positive emissions depending on how the biomass material is grown,
harvested, and transported. Deployment of BECCS at scales described in some climate
change mitigation pathways would require converting large amounts of cropland.

Kasai village, Madhya Pradesh (biomass for electricity)

Kasai is a remote, forest-fringe adivasi (tribal) village with 55 households

and a population of 392. It is not connected to the grid. The village is
endowed with abundant biomass resources in the form of wood (from
forests and farmland), crop residues, cattle dung and oil seeds. Since
2005, the Government has been supporting a project in the village to
generate electricity from a small, 10 KW biomass plant. (MNRE is
funding eleven such projects in Madhya Pradesh.) Although the
government funded 100% of the capital costs, the project is being
managed by the local community, with some technical support from the
local Forest Department. For instance, villagers are responsible for
gathering biomass for the plant and collecting Rs.120 a month from each
household (£1.55p) to meet the plant’s operating and maintenance
costs. In addition to the maintenance fee, there is a user charge, based
on the amount of electricity and energy consumed. A village committee
comprising 11 members, five of whom are women, has been constituted
to oversee the operation. The plant generates all the lighting for
households, school and streets, has enabled music systems and
television to be installed in the village for entertainment, and supplies
electricity for a flour mill, water pumping and a milk-chilling unit. The
project has helped stem migration from the area and has enabled a
trebling of agricultural production due to the availability of water for
irrigation. This would help avoid the respiratory illnesses caused by
burning traditional biomass indoors.

Gosaba island, West Bengal (biomass for electricity):

Gosaba Island is one of the 54 inhabited islands (out of a total of 104 islands) in
the Sundarbans, a large mangrove forest region situated on the Ganges Delta.
Farming here depends almost completely on the monsoon and the area is low-
lying. After independence, the overall progress of the people remained
severely hindered due to absence of electric power in the region. The
conventional electric power line had not reached the region due to its
geographical location, and also because most of these places are separated
from the mainland by wide rivers or creeks. Electricity was available to only a
few houses situated near specific shops or market places. This was generated
and supplied for 3-4 hours by means of small diesel generators. Customers
paid Rs.4 per day per point (typically a 40W bulb or tube light), which was a
very high rate (the present rate is Rs.18 per kWh). Kerosene lamps were the
only source of light for students studying at night. Then, a biomass gassifier
power plant was commissioned on 20th June 1997 as a joint collaboration of
the state and central government. It uses two fuels to generate electricity via
gasification. The main fuel is biomass in the form of tree branches, twigs and
bark (70%). The support fuel is diesel (30%). (Diesel is used here because when
this plant was built; up till then the technology for generating power using only
biomass was still not available). Local people called it the “wood electricity”
plant. One of the reasons for the project’s success was that locals were
involved in decision-making from the very start. Door-to-door visits were made
and briefings on different aspects of the project were given to the village
panchayat representatives, who in turn discussed it with the local people. A
series of public meetings was held to raise awareness of the technology, its
limitations, advantages, and the need for an energy plantation. Concerned by
the threat to their incomes, the local diesel operators initially opposed
the setting up of the power plant. But other members of the community
undertook a vigorous campaign to sell the benefits of the new approach
(which included the health benefit of cutting the toxic fumes from the
diesel generators). This dissipated the opposition to a large extent and
some of the diesel operators were later employed in the plant. The plant
is locally owned and managed through the ‘Gosaba Rural Energy
Cooperative’. This body was set up by the West Bengal Renewable
Energy Development Agency (WBREDA) in 1996. Members of the
village panchayats are on the board, which is one of the ways of
ensuring a good level of community ownership. The Cooperative sets
the tariff, advises WBREDA on where the power line should go, and is
responsible for collecting electricity bills from each household. It is a
matter of pride that there have been no instances of electricity ‘theft’ or
of defaulting on bills. For the energy plantation, trees were planted on 71
hectares of low-lying riverbank silt beds (char lands). After three years,
the plantation was fully established and was providing a steady supply of
wood to the plant. Additional biomass is supplied by local farmers. This
is a relatively large biofuel plant of 500 KW, benefiting 3,027 households
and a total population of 18,220. The availability of electricity has
allowed students to study at night and achieve better exam results.
Small-scale factories have been established which are using electric
machinery to carry out boat repairs, welding, knife- and tool-sharpening
and spice-grinding. An operating theatre is now functioning at the
government health centre on the island. With the availability of
refrigerators, it has become possible for the first time to store life-saving
vaccines and medicines. Electric pumps are now being used for
irrigation; people are able to watch sports and other programmes on
cable television, which was not thought possible earlier; films are being
screened in newly-established video parlours; a computer training centre
has also been opened; and electric sewing machines are being used to
make fishing nets.

Gram Vikas projects in Orissa (solar, biodiesel, gravity flow

for a piped water supply; lessons from previous biogas
schemes): Gram Vikas is an NGO and Christian Aid is their international
partner working on rural development in the eastern, coastal state of Orissa.
The NGO operates in 21 of the 30 districts in the state, in a total of 732 villages.
One of their principal interventions is the provision of a piped water supply and
lighting for adivasi villages. Being remote, these villages are generally not
connected to the grid. Gram Vikas’s solution to the water supply problem is to
install stand-alone, renewable pumping systems, driven by solar power, gravity
flow and biodiesel - In the case of solar and biodiesel, by pumping water from
wells in the village; in the case of gravity flow, from wells or springs at a higher
altitude connected to a water tower in the village. Under the scheme, each
household is provided with a toilet and washroom; water is piped to these
units as well as to taps installed in the kitchen and yard. If the project involves
solar, then lighting can also be supplied. Measured purely in cost terms, gravity
flow is the best option, followed by biodiesel and then solar. The installation cost
for each in three villages of a similar size was: Rs.195,000 (£2,530) for gravity flow in
Kerandi; Rs.325,000. (£4,220) for biodiesel (Kichiling); and Rs.500,000 (£6,490) for solar
(Chanabogodo). So far Gram Vikas has installed 80 gravity flow systems – and the state
government has been supporting this work. Labour time is one factor that needs to be taken
into account here. The small-scale biodiesel projects do require considerable labour inputs by
villagers to succeed: for example, the time spent planting trees, harvesting the seeds or nuts,
and then preparing the fuel (oil is extracted from the seeds or nuts and mixed with ethanol).
Gram Vikas previously supported biogas projects, which saw villagers using cattle dung to
produce gas for cooking and lighting. This has made them aware of some of the
maintenance challenges posed by this technology. Many of the biogas plants built in Orissa
during the 1980s and 90s fell out of use because people were not trained in how to maintain
them, the upkeep was time-consuming and families did not keep enough cattle to produce
sufficient dung for the plants.

IMP Questions

Q.1. What are the reliable alternative sources of energy?

Ans: Nuclear power, hydroelectric power, solar energy and wind energy are the
most reliable sources of energy.
Q.2. What do you mean by alternative sources of energy?
Ans: Alternative sources of energy are also known as non-conventional or
renewable sources of energy. These sources of energy can never get exhausted and
can be used endlessly. Alternative sources of energy reduce the undesirable effects
of pollution caused by using fossil fuels.
Q.3. What are the disadvantages of alternative sources of energy?
Ans: Some of the disadvantages of alternative sources of energy are as follows:
1. There are only limited sites for setting up power plants of alternative sources of
energy.
2. The initial cost of establishing the power plants of alternative sources of energy
are expensive.
Q.4. What are renewable sources of energy?
Ans: Sources of energy that are replenished faster than that at which they are
consumed are called renewable sources of energy. They are inexhaustible energy
sources—for example, wind, tide, hydropower and energy from the sun.
Q.5. What are the limitations of alternative sources of energy?
Ans: The initial installation of power plants of alternative sources of energy is
expensive. There are limited sites for setting up their power plants.
Q.6. What are the benefits of using alternative sources of energy?
Ans: Alternative energy sources do not use fossil fuels, so they do not produce
greenhouse gas. Alternative sources of energy are renewable. Therefore, they do not
get exhausted by increasing their consumption.
Q.7. What are some examples of alternative sources of energy?
Ans: Tidal energy, wave energy, geothermal energy, solar energy, hydroelectric
energy, nuclear energy, wind energy are some examples of alternative sources of
energy.
Q.8. Are renewable and alternative sources of energy all the same?
Ans: Yes, alternative energy sources and renewable energy sources are the same
because these energy sources do not include fossil fuels and can be replenished
faster on demand.

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MCQ :
1). Which one of the following energy uses windmills for mechanical power?

Solar energy

Biomass and biofuel

Hydropower

Wind power

2). Which one of the following energy uses solar thermal electricity and solar heating?

Solar energy

Biomass and biofuel

Hydropower

All of the above

3). ________________ are the renewable energy resources

Solar

Wave

Wind

All of the above

4). _______________ are the non-renewable energy resources

 Nuclear energy

Fossil fuels

Both a and b

None of the above

5). What are the advantages of solar power?

Sunlight is free

Doesn’t produce the greenhouse effect

Both a and b

None of the above

6). What is the source of solar energy?

Wind

Waves

Sunlight

All of the above

7). Which one of the following resources is sustainable?

Renewable resources

Non-renewable resources

Both a and b

None of the above

8). What are the advantages of biomass?

Renewable

Versatile

Both a and b
 None of the above

9). What is the source of tidal energy?

Movement of seawater

Movement of tide

Sunlight

Wind

10). The hydropower uses ____________

Irrigation

Watermills

Domestic lifts

All of the above

11). What are the advantages of non-renewable energy resources?

Affordable

Abundant

Cost-effective

All of the above

12). What is the source of wind energy?

Wind

Waves

Sunlight

All of the above

13). Which one of the following resources is an environmental friend?

Renewable resources
 Non-renewable resources

Both a and b

None of the above

14). ___________ resources are recyclable

Renewable resources

Non-renewable resources

Both a and b

None of the above

15). Which one of the following resources has more durability?

Renewable resources

Non-renewable resources

Both a and b

None of the above

16). The power density of gas is _____________

200-2,000 W/m^2

4-5 W/m^2

4-7 W/m^2

4-10 W/m^2

17). The renewable energy resources has ____________

Low carbon emission

High carbon emission

Very high carbon emission

Doesn’t have carbon emission

18). What are the advantages of wind energy?

Renewable and free

Operating life is long

Not too expensive

All of the above

19). The renewable energy resources are _____________

Pollution-free

Has high maintenance cost

Both a and b

None of the above

20). The fossil fuels are ______________

Non-renewable resources

Easy to get and easy to transport

Burning produces smog

All of the above

21). Which one of the following energy resources produces radioactive waste?

Solar

Nuclear

Wind

All of the above

22). The wind and water energy resources are ___________

Renewable

Doesn’t produce air pollution

Both a and b
 None of the above

23). What is the source of wave energy?

Movement of seawater

Movement of tide

Sunlight

Wind

24). What are the advantages of hydro energy?

Cheap to operate

Renewable

Not intermittent

All of the above

25). The non-renewable energy resources has ______________

High carbon emission

Low

Very low

Doesn’t have carbon emission

Renewable Energy Important MCQ's with s

26). Which one of the following energy resources produces air pollution?

Solar

Wind

Water

None of the above

27). The biomass energy resources requires ______________

 Large area of farmland

Produces smoke

Both a and b

None of the above

28). What is the source of hydropower?

Flowing power

Wind

Sunlight

All of the above

29). What are the advantages of renewable energy?

Easily available

Easily generated

Low maintenance cost

All of the above

30). The power density of coal is _____________

200-2,000 W/m^2

100 to 1,000 W/m^2

4-7 W/m^2

0.5 to 0.6 W/m^2