Today we are almost completely dependent on fossil fuels of different types for various types of works. Almost 78% of our daily energy requirement comes from fossil fuels. Right from electricity generation to industrial production, from transportation to household requirement, we are heavily dependent of fossil fuel. Not only the availability is limited, and we can be exhausted at a later date but also they are creating huge environmental impact. So an urgent transformation from conventional fossil fuels to alternative source of fuels is the need of the hour. According to US department of Energy, there are more than a dozen of alternative source of fuels are available.
They include: , Natural Gas, Bio Fuels, Wind Energy, Hydroelectric Power, Solar Energy, Nuclear Energy etc.
Natural Gases like Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is often called green fuel because it is lead and sulphur free which reduces emission of harmful gases. It also increases the life of lubricants as CNG does not contaminate and dilute the crankcase oil. It is becoming fast popular in Indian transport industry. More than 30 cities in India have successfully adapted and implemented the use of CNG for the mass transport system. Delhi was the first city in India to adapt the CNG as alternative fuel for mass transport in September 1997. Delhi was one of the world’s 10 most polluted cities, with vehicles accounting for 70 per cent of polluting emissions. After that the presence of pollutant particles in the atmosphere of Delhi has reduced dramatically. But in 2003 Delhi won the US Department of Energy’s first ‘Clean Cities International Partner of the Year’ award for ‘‘bold efforts to curb air pollution and support alternative fuel initiatives’’ The conversion of buses from diesel to CNG has helped to reduce SO2, CO2 and PM10 concentrations in Delhi. The conversion of Autos from petrol to CNG did not had the same benefit because of backdated technology.
The use of windmill for household purpose is in use in the Netherlands is popular since nineteenth century. But the Scandinavian countries like Finland, Sweden, Norway etc. have become the pathfinder in the technology of production of electricity from wind energy. Today the maximum quantity of electricity produced from wind energy is produced by United States with a capacity of 25,170 MW. With an installed system of more than 900 stations, India is the fifth ranked producer of wind power generation. Today India is producing 1267 MW of electricity from wind while the potential is estimated at 45000 MW. Today around 15 domestic in joint ventures with international collaborators and some multinational companies are involved in manufacturing turbines and other components resulting in an annual turnover of Rs. 1500 crores. Suzlon is setting up a mega Wind energy production project in Dhule of Maharastra with a capacity of more than 1000MW when completed.
The technology of producing electricity using solar power is not new. It is in practice in many parts of India basically for household purposes. But still it is not fully utilised. Many of our villages do not have electricity after more than 60 years of independence, which has evolved as a basic need in today’s socio-economic scenario. The use of solar energy can be mustered in achieving the aim of 100% electrical powered India.
Hydro electricity is produced by passing the water flow of a river through a turbine, which rotates inside a copper coil with the pressure of water and produces electricity. Hydro-electricity produces the 15% of total power requirement of India. State Owned National Hydro-Electricity Power Corporation Ltd (NHPC Ltd) is the leading producer of hydro electricity in the country which produces 5175 MW from its 13 projects spread in 8 states. Other important hydro electricity producers includes
Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC)
Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)
Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC)
Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN)
But there are some socio-environmental issues related with the construction of the hydro electricity projects. Huge areas of land usually get submerged under the water during the construction of the dam, which force thousands of people migrate to other place. Thousands of hectares of agricultural land get submerged in water.
One of the largest dam in Asia, the Tehri Dam is in controversy since the start of the project as its lake is posing threat to a number of adjacent villages in Uttaranchal. Tehri Dam was built on Bhagirathi River in the year 1978, is one of the world’s largest and most controversial hydroelectric projects. With a height of 260 meters (855 feet), the reservoir of the dam completely submerged historic Tehri Town and 40 villages while partially submerging 72 villages affecting more than100,000 people.
The villagers of the adjacent villages of the dam are complaining that the walls of their houses are developing cracks because of the dam. The investigation is still on says local administration. They admitted that the Cracks have been seen in some places in the village and since the water level is receding, this area is under study. Once the investigation is over, some conclusion will be derived.
In 1990 the area was declared sensitive. Around 12 villages are reportedly under serious threat with Bhallargaon, Nakot, Raulakot and Kangsali Villages being the worst affected. The villagers have been spending sleepless nights.
Nuclear electricity is one of the most clean electricity. It is often called the future fuel for electricity. But as India stayed outside the Nuclear NPT (Non proliferation Treaty)because of it s weapons program, India has been excluded from international trade in nuclear material for 34 years, which has hampered the development of nuclear energy in civil sector until 2009. The Indo-US nuke deal has opened new avenues before India in developing its civil nuclear energy setor. Now it aims 20000MWe nuclear capacity on line by 2020.
15.8 billion KWh of electricity were supplied by Nuclear power sector in 2007 from 3.7 GWe capacity and the scenario is going to change after Indo-US nuke deal, since the imported technology and fuel becomes available. India aims to produce 25% of its electricity requirement from nuclear energy by 2050 which is one hundred time of 2020 capacity.
In India, the opportunity for bio-fuel is immense. Here, the production of bio fuel is mainly based on the processing of Jatropha seeds. The jatropha seeds contains up-to 40% oil. It is extracted and directly used as a replacement of Diesel. Jatropha Oil has four way benefits. Firstly it replaces the fossil fuel, and in this way it delivers economic benefits at the national level by reducing the import of diesel, secondly it provides immediate economic benefits at the local level by providing a chance to cultivate in dry marginal non-agricultural land as Jatorpha can be grown in such type of land. Thirdly since it can be grown in dry non-agricultural land, the agricultural lands and not engaged in cultivating Jatropha plants. And finally And since Jatropha oil is carbon-neutral, large-scale production will improve the country's carbon emissions profile. Other forms of bio diesel production is available like – ethanol from corn or sugarcane and palm oil diesel. But since they are cultivated on agricultural land, they may have huge impact on food grain production. Since it is more profitable, farmers would cultivate more and more corn for diesel creating an adverse affect on world food market. India has immense potential in the production of bio-diesel from Jatropha and some works are already been done in some parts of the country. But the work has to be done even more seriously. On 12 September 2008, the Indian Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy'. It aims to meet 20% of India's diesel demand with fuel derived from plants. That will mean setting aside 140,000 square kilometres of land. Presently fuel yielding plants cover less than 5,000 square kilometres.
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