How is Power Generated in India

India is a significant player in the global energy market. Since 2000, energy consumption has quadrupled due to the surging population. In 2019, about 900 million individuals acquired access to electricity for the first time due to the economic expansion of the country.

Thermal power plants provide more than 65% of India’s electricity, with coal accounting for 85% of that output. All 10 of India’s largest thermal power plants are coal-fired, with the state-run National Thermal Power Corporation owning and running five of them (NTPC). 

How is Power Generated In India?

India is the third-largest producer of electricity in the world, after China and USA. The three primary sources of electric power in India are mentioned below:

RES (Renewable Energy Sources) and Thermal Energy

Thermal power and renewable energy sources such as small hydro projects, biomass power, biomass gasifiers, wind power, solar power, urban and industrial waste, and others are the primary sources of electricity generated from coal, oil, and natural gas.

Hydel Energy

Hydroelectric power is the least expensive of the three sources, and it produces no pollution. Hydroelectric power is a renewable energy source.

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear power is the second most modern type of energy, with power production beginning in the 1970s and 1971.

Sources Of Power Generation In India

Solar Energy

The main source of energy is the sun. Sunlight is an energy source that is both clean and renewable. Because the sun shines practically every day, it is a renewable resource that will not deplete over time. Coal and gas are not renewable or sustainable; once they are depleted, they are no longer available to use. 

Clean, renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal steam, etc., are becoming increasingly popular nowadays and are referred to as ‘green power’. Solar energy illuminates our homes during the day, dries our clothes and agricultural goods, and has a lot greater potential.

Wind Energy

The kinetic energy generated by air in motion is utilised to generate electricity using wind. Wind turbines and wind energy conversion devices are used to convert this into electrical energy. The blades of a turbine are the first to be struck by the wind, which causes them to rotate and turn the turbine to which they are connected. By rotating the shaft attached to the generator and creating electrical energy through electromagnetism, the kinetic energy is converted to rotational energy.

Biomass

Photosynthesis is the process through which plants convert solar energy into biomass. This biomass, through a number of cycles, yields various types of energy. Fodder for animals that make dung, agricultural waste for cooking, and so on are examples. 

Biomass is a significant source of energy in our country, accounting for almost one-third of total fuel consumption and being used by over 40% of rural households. Household cooking and heating are two of the most common uses for biomass. Agricultural waste, wood, charcoal, and dried dung are the different forms of biomass employed.

Wave Energy

The movement of a device tethered to the ocean floor or floating on the ocean surface generates wave energy. Wave energy conversion has been researched using a variety of ways. Floating wave conversion devices have movable joints that flex with the waves. This kinetic energy generates electric power by pumping fluid via turbines. Pressure variations created by the waves swelling up and down are used in static wave energy conversion devices.

Current Energy

Ocean water travelling in one direction is referred to as a marine current. The Gulf stream is the name given to this particular ocean current. The tides create currents that run in both directions; these are called tidal currents. Submerged turbines that look very similar to small wind turbines can harvest kinetic energy from the Gulf Stream and other tidal currents. The sea current moves the rotor blades to create electricity, similarly to wind turbines.

Tidal Energy

The moon’s gravitational influence causes the tidal cycle to occur every 12 hours. Potential energy is the difference in water height between low and high tides. Tidal water can be gathered in a barrier across a river during high tide and driven through a hydro-turbine during low tide, much like traditional hydropower generated by dams. Because of the high cost of civil construction and the high power purchase tariff, tidal energy power plants have a very high capital cost.

Power Sector in India

• Powergrid
• NTPC
• TATA Power
• JSW Energy
• NHPC
• Torrent Power
• Reliance Power Ltd.

Conclusion

India’s energy industry and policymakers will be put to the test as the country continues to industrialise and urbanise. On a per-capita basis, energy consumption is far below the world average, and there are significant disparities in energy consumption and service quality across states and between rural and urban areas. Therefore, consumers in India are concerned about the price and dependability of electricity supplies.