Renewable Energy
Renewable energy also know as clean energy means energy which is derived from renewable sources of energy for example solar energy which is derived from sunlight, hydro energy which is derived from running water, wind energy which is derived from flowing wind, etc.
These are also called as clean energy resources because they do no harm the environment and do not deplete with use.
Major types of Renewable Energy:
| Solar Energy | converts sunlight into electricity |
| Hydropower Energy | converts running water into electricity |
| Wind Energy | windmills convert wind power into electricity |
| Geothermal Energy | uses steam from underground hot water to produce electricity |
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is also known as atomic energy. Nuclear energy is obtained from nuclear fission of atoms. Atoms first go through nuclear fission these atoms then releases heat. The heat released by this process is used to produce electricity.
There are two processes from which nuclear energy is obtained:
- Fission
The main idea in fission is to split the atoms of an element (mainly uranium). Atoms when separated from each other release a tremendous amount of energy. This energy is used to produce electricity.
- Fusion
Nuclear fusion works on the idea of forcing two nuclei together through extreme pressure. When the two nuclei fuse, a new element is formed and here also a tremendous amount of energy is released. However, this process releases a chain of reaction which is difficult to control by humans. Therefore it is only being used for creating nuclear weapons.
Reforming Laws
I) In Renewable Energy Sector
Tariff Policy Amendments, 2018
On May 30, 2018, the MoP discharged draft amendments to the tariff policy. The target of this policy is to market electricity generation from renewable sources of energy. Also, the MNRE created an RPO compliance cell on May 25, 2018, to succeed in India’s renewable energy sector and alternative energy.
Repowering Policy, 2016
On 9th August 2016, the Indian government came up with a “repowering policy” for wind energy. This policy supports the substitution of aging wind turbines with additional trendy and powerful units (fewer, larger, taller) to boost the amount of electricity generation.
The Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy, 2018
On 14 May 2018, the MNRE proclaimed a national wind-solar hybrid policy. This policy supported new, large grid-connected wind-solar electrical phenomenon hybrid systems and also the crossbreeding of the already available machinery with new machinery. These developmental projects tried to achieve an optimum and economical use of transmission infrastructure and land. The policy highlighted plans for storage in hybrids and came up with an output for optimization and variability reduction.
The National Offshore Wind Energy Policy, 2015
The National Offshore Wind Policy was inaugurated in October 2015. On 19th June 2018, the MNRE proclaimed a medium-term target of five GW by 2022 and a long-run target of thirty GW by 2030. The MNRE had planned to put in additional units within the states of Madras and Gujarat. Offshore wind energy would add its contribution to the already existing renewable energy.
The Feed-in Tariff Policy, 2018
On 28th January 2016, the revised tariff policy was notified for the amendments in Electricity Act. On 13th May 2018, the change in tariff policy was formulated. There were many goals of this tariff policy measure such as (a) a reasonable and competitive electricity rate for the consumers; (b) to draw in investment and monetary viability; (c) to confirm that the perceptions of regulative risks decrease through certainty, consistency, and transparency of policy measures; (d) development in quality, enhanced operational potency, and improved competition; (e) increase the production capacity of electricity from renewable sources of energy.
II) In Nuclear Energy Sector
The government’s 12th five-year plan for 2012-17 targeted the addition of 94 GW over the period, costing $247 billion. By 2032 the plan called for a total installed capacity of 700 GW to meet 7-9% GDP growth, with 63 GW nuclear.
The OECD’s International Energy Agency predicts that India will need some $1.6 trillion investment in power generation, transmission, and distribution to 2035. In March 2018, the government stated that nuclear capacity would fall well short of its 63 GW target and that the total nuclear capacity is likely to be about 22.5 GW by the year 2030.
Though there are not many laws in the nuclear energy sector as it has been discovered only a decade ago and is not ready to be used by humans.
Challenges Faced by Renewable and Nuclear Energy
There are a lot of challenges faced by both the renewable and nuclear energy sectors. Some common challenges faced by both the sectors are as follows:
- Unavailability of land
- A lot of machinery and workforce is required to set up these plants
- Huge capital costs
- The lengthy process as it requires a lot of paperwork and time to get fully operational
- Running these plants also require a lot of workforce and capital
Conclusion
As we know that currently, almost every country is using non-renewable sources of energy like fossil fuel, crude oil, etc to produce energy which helps them to run their industries which in turn their economy. But these sources of energy are depleting day by day with their use and a time will come when there will be no such resources left.
Therefore the world must move towards renewable and nuclear sources of energy as they are clean do not cause harm to the environment and are non-depleting.
All the countries must make maximum use of their natural resources to meet their energy and electricity requirements. In this way, we can achieve the goal of sustainable development. And all countries should set up new laws and regulations which promote the growth of these industries.
As these sectors promise us with a hope of better environmental conditions. They also make the earth a better place to live in with less pollution and greater safety which is beneficial for our upcoming generations.
0 Comments