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Non-Conventional Energy Notes with PDF

By October 4, 2025 Educational Resources 0 Comments

These notes are your ultimate revision weapon to revise Non-Conventional Energy. We’ve distilled years of previous exam questions (PYQs) into one powerful, concise resource. Everything you need to know, nothing you don’t.

  • PYQs, Decoded: All key concepts from past exams, organized and simplified.
  • Revise in Record Time: Short, precise, and designed for last-minute review.
  • Focus on What Matters: Master high-probability topics and boost your confidence.
  • Free PDF to download.

I. Classification of Energy Sources

A. By Renewability

  • Renewable Sources
    • Solar Energy: Derived from the sun’s radiant light and heat.
    • Hydro-electricity: Considered best for sustainable development in India as it doesn’t deplete finite resources.
  • Non-Renewable Sources (Fossil Fuels)
    • Definition: Include coal, petroleum, and natural gas, formed from the decay of dead organisms over a long period.
    • Note: Uranium is not a fossil fuel; it is used for nuclear energy.
    • Energy Crisis: Refers to the danger of depletion of fossil fuels like coal and petrol.

B. By Origin

  • The ultimate source of energy for fossil fuels is the Sun.
  • This solar energy is stored in an organic form and is essential for processes like photosynthesis.

II. Environmental Impact

A. Eco-Friendly Sources

  • Solar Energy (via solar cells) is the most eco-friendly, creating no environmental pollution.
  • Hydrogen as a fuel produces minimal pollution (forms water upon combustion).
  • Hydro-electricity is the best source from a sustainable development viewpoint.

B. Sources Causing Pollution

  • Fossil fuels (coal, petrol, diesel, kerosene) and nuclear fission have negative environmental effects.
  • Burning diesel, coal, and kerosene releases carbon dioxide, causing air pollution.

C. Specific Environmental Effects of Nuclear Power

  • Radioactive contamination of air, soil, and water.
  • Deforestation and loss of flora and fauna.
  • Challenges with radioactive waste disposal.

III. Biofuels & Alternative Fuels

A. General Facts

  • Biofuel: Eco-friendly and can help remedy the energy crisis (e.g., made from corn).
  • However, biofuel is not considered cost-effective.

B. Biofuel Crops

  • Biodiesel: Jatropha, Pongamia, Sunflower.
  • Ethanol: Maize (corn).

C. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

  • The major component is Methane (CH₄).
  • Used as a cleaner alternative to petrol and diesel.

IV. India-Specific Facts & Initiatives

A. Energy Potential and Use

  • Solar Power has the greatest potential as a renewable energy source in India.
  • After fossil fuels, Solar Energy is the second most important energy source in India, contributing 12.5% of non-fossil fuel energy.

B. Milestones and Achievements

  • Sikkim: First state in the world to become 100% organic (UN Future Policy Gold Award).
  • SpiceJet: First Indian airline to use biofuel for a flight (Dehradun to Delhi) in August 2018.
  • Surat district, Gujarat: First district in India to have 100% solar-powered Primary Health Centres (PHCs) as of March 26, 2018.
  • Diu: First Union Territory in India to be powered 100% by solar energy. It generates 13 MW daily, exceeding its demand.

V. International Solar Alliance (ISA)

A. Founding & Leadership

  • Launched at COP21 in Paris (2015) by the President of France and the Prime Minister of India.
  • First summit held in New Delhi on March 11, 2018.
  • Headquarters/Secretariat is located in Gurugram, Haryana, India.

B. Goals & Membership

  • Primary goal is to promote solar energy among countries lying between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn.
  • Aims to mobilize $1 trillion in investments by 2030.
  • As of November 2024, it has 120 member countries (does not include all UN members).

C. Partnerships

  • In March 2018, signed a partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to promote solar energy in Asia and the Pacific.

VI. Detailed Renewable Energy Sources & Technologies

A. Solar Power in India (as of October 2024)

  • Installed Capacity: Highest among renewables at 92.12 GW.
  • Total Renewable Capacity: 203.18 GW (46.3% of India’s total installed power capacity).
  • Leading States: Rajasthan (29.98 GW), followed by Gujarat (29.52 GW).
  • Manufacturing: India does not have a significant commercial manufacturing base for Silicon Wafers (a facility in Dholera is planned for 2026).
  • Tariffs: Determined by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), not the Solar Energy Corporation of India.

B. Wind Power in India

  • Installed capacity of 47.72 GW (as of October 2024).
  • Historically had the highest installed capacity among renewables in 2014.

C. Biomass Energy

  • Biomass Gasification:
    • Process of incomplete burning of biomass (e.g., coconut shells, groundnut shells, rice husks) to produce combustible gases.
    • The resulting gas is called “producer gas,” containing carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), and small amounts of methane (CH4). It does not consist of only hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
    • Used for direct heat generation and to power internal combustion engines.
  • Pongamia Pinnata for Biodiesel:
    • Suitable because it grows naturally in arid regions of India and is resilient to harsh weather and saline soils.
    • Its seeds are rich in lipid content, nearly half of which is oleic acid.

D. Geothermal Energy

  • Heat derived from the Earth’s interior.
  • Potential Sites in India: Himalayas, West Coast, Godavari Delta, Cambay Basin, Son-Narmada-Tapi (SONATA) lineament zone, Mahanadi Basin, Sohana Basin.
  • Not found in the Ganga Delta.

E. Fuel Cells

  • Principle: Convert chemical energy from a fuel (like hydrogen) into electricity via an electrochemical reaction with oxygen.
  • Output: If pure hydrogen is used, the by-products are only water and heat.
  • Current Type: Produce Direct Current (DC), not Alternating Current (AC).
  • Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs):
    • Use bacteria as catalysts to generate electricity from organic substrates.
    • Key application: wastewater treatment plants to cleanse water while producing electricity.

VII. Waste Management & Bio-products

A. Incineration

  • Incinerators are machines used for burning waste (a process called incineration).

B. Composting

  • A process where biodegradable waste (e.g., livestock excreta, vegetable waste) is decomposed in pits.
  • Vermicomposting: Earthworms accelerate the decomposition process; they do not slow it down.
  • The final product, compost, is rich in organic matter and nutrients.

C. Bio-asphalt

  • An eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based asphalt.
  • It is not based on fossil fuels.
  • Can be made from renewable resources like vegetable oils, sugar, tree resins, rubber, and non-organic waste.

VIII. Pollution & Environmental Impact

A. Acid Rain

  • Primary Cause: Emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) from coal-based thermal power stations.
  • While carbon oxides are also emitted, they are not the primary cause of acid rain.

IX. Resource Classification & Miscellaneous

  • Exhaustible Resources: Finite resources that can be depleted (e.g., Minerals).
  • Inexhaustible Resources: Virtually limitless resources (e.g., Solar Energy).
  • Biogas Composition: Primarily Methane (CH4) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
  • Deforestation Impact: Can impact regional climate patterns, including Rainfall.

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