India Energy Sector fulfils around 90% of the energy requirements in India. The majority of India energy needs are fulfilled by energy from coal. The inadequacy in the supply of energy is balanced out by energy imports from other countries. The India energy scenario shows a drift in the energy balance mainly due to the differed energy sources in India.
The India energy policy states the measures taken by the Government of India to meet all the energy requirements and deal with the energy crisis India might face if proper energy policy and energy management is not undertaken.
These include mass energy conservation and efficient use of energy. Also various energy zones have been demarcated for large-scale energy harvesting and then using it efficiently by energy conversion to other more usable forms of energy by using various energy conversion devices.
The study of energy sector in India includes:
TYPES OF ENERGY
- Non-Renewable Energy : Petroleum, Natural Gas and Coal
- Renewable Energy : Solar Energy, Hydroelectric Energy, Wind Energy, Nuclear Energy, Tidal Energy, Hydrogen Energy, Wood Energy, Energy from Biomass or Bio-fuel, Chemical Energy and Geothermal Energy.
SOURCES OF ENERGY IN INDIA
- The various energy resources used in India include fossil fuels providing petroleum and natural gas and coal mining that cater to the coal energy demands in India.
- The sun is the source for solar energy that is converted to electrical energy using solar panels.
- The vast water resources in and around India are utilized by conversion of the kinetic energy from the flowing water as in waterfalls and the dams built on various rivers into electric energy.
- The energy of the tides and tidal waves is also utilized for electrical energy harvesting.
- The usage of wind energy comes in the form of windmills and huge wind energy farms for generation of usable energy forms by transformation of the kinetic energy of the wind into energy units.
- Other sources of energy in India include biomass energy by burning bio-fuels available in large quantities owing to the huge domestic cattle population in India.
- Energy is also derived from the vast timber resources of the country. This forms the wood energy.
- Nuclear energy or atomic energy from radioactive materials has been developed into a vast industry in itself.
- Geothermal energy is an unlimited natural energy source that utilizes the steam from hot water springs that acts as energy boosters to drive turbines of power plants.
- The various chemicals are used for chemical energy generation used in batteries.
- Even the hydrogen available in large quantities in the environment has been captured and utilized as an energy source by reacting hydrogen with oxygen.
ENERGY SECTOR COMPANIES IN INDIA
The major energy companies in India engaging in mass energy development, transformation and generation include:
- Cairn Energy India
- Reliance Energy India
- Suzlon Energy India
- GE Energy India
- Focus Energy India
- Unitron Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd.
- Eri- Tech Limited
- Synergy Renewable Energy Pvt. Ltd
- Goldwyn Limited
- Zenith Birla India Limited
- Star Energy Group PLC
ENERGY POLICY OF INDIA
The India energy policy states that the energy needs to be utilized not just from the conventional energy resources like the coal, petroleum, natural gas deposits and burning of wood etc. that is still a perishable source but also from other non-conventional sources like wind, water, geothermal, biomass etc. The India energy policy act clearly mentions development of newer energy sources that are more efficient and non-perishable.
Since the energy sources levels are dropping with each passing day the energy of light (energy of a photon), energy of motion from the flowing water and geothermal energy and energy of an electron in chemical energy and other forms is the new energy units tapping solutions.
The energy policy of India lays stress on the research for finding solutions to the perishing energy sources and also the skyrocketing energy prices in the country. Special energy labs have been set up for the development of energy generation and transformation kits for the harvesting of energy units. The unit conversion of energy has developed into a huge industry that has given a new definition to the India energy policy.
INDIA ENERGY CONSERVATION
The need of the hour, also mentioned in the energy policy act of India, is conservation of energy. The energy conservation act 2001 clearly states the large-scale energy consumers will have to contribute majorly in energy conservations as that is where the maximum energy is being dumped unused and wastage is seen.
An energy conservation building code has been established for strict adherence of energy conservation level. All electrical appliances are supposed to meet certain energy performance standards. A bureau of energy efficiency is also brought into functionality for implementation of the energy conservation act.
Recycling of renewable energy sources is also undertaken along with mass contributions to developing newer energy sources like timber by mass plantation of trees. Renewable energy has developed into an independent industry attracting major interest and investments from both government and individual companies.