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Introduction

India is facing an acute energy scarcity which is hampering its industrial growth and economic progress. Setting up of new power plants is inevitably dependent on import of highly volatile fossil fuels. Thus, it is essential to tackle the energy crisis through judicious utilization of abundant the renewable energy resources, such as biomass energy, solar energy, wind energy and geothermal energy. Apart from augmenting the energy supply, renewable resources will help India in mitigating climate change. India is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for its energy needs. Most of the power generation is carried out by coal and mineral oil-based power plants which contribute heavily to greenhouse gas emissions.

The average per capita consumption of energy in India is around 500 W, which is much lower than that of developed countries like the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, etc. However, this figure is expected to rise sharply due to high economic growth and rapid industrialization. The consumption of electricity is growing on the worldwide basis. Energy is a necessity and sustainable renewable energy is a vital link in the industrialization and development of India. A transition from conventional energy systems to those based on renewable resources is necessary to meet the ever-increasing demand for energy and to address environmental concerns.

A Glance at Renewable Energy Sources in India

Solar Energy: Solar power, a clean renewable resource with zero emission, has got tremendous potential as energy which can be harnessed using a variety of devices. With recent developments, solar energy systems are easily available for industrial and domestic use with the added advantage of minimum maintenance. Solar energy could be made financially viable with government tax incentives and rebates.

An exclusive solar generation system of capacity of 250 KWh units per month would cost around $105,045 USD, with present pricing and taxes. Most of the developed countries are switching over to solar energy as one of the prime renewable energy sources. The current architectural designs make provision for photovoltaic cells and necessary circuitry while making building plans.

Wind Power: Wind power is one of the most efficient alternative energy sources. There has been good deal of development in wind turbine technology over the past decade with many new companies joining the fray. Wind turbines have become larger, efficiencies and availabilities have improved and wind farm concept has become popular. It could be combined with solar, especially for a total self-sustainability project.

The economics of wind energy is already strong, despite the relative immaturity of the industry. The downward trend in wind energy costs is predicted to continue. As the world market in wind turbines continues to boom, wind turbine prices will continue to fall. India now ranks as a "wind superpower" having a net potential of about 45,000 MW only from 13 identified states.

Hydroelectric Power: India has a huge hydro power potential, out of which around 20 percent has been realized so far. New hydro projects are facing serious resistance from environmentalists. Resettlement of the displaced people (and their lands) displaced by these projects becomes a major issue.

Biomass: Biomass energy can play a major role in reducing India's reliance on fossil fuels by making use of thermo-chemical conversion technologies. In addition, the increased utilization of biomass-based fuels will be instrumental in safeguarding the environment, creating new job opportunities, sustainable development and health improvements in rural areas. Biomass energy could also aid in modernizing the agricultural economy. A large amount of energy is expended in the cultivation and processing of crops like sugar cane, food grains, vegetables and fruits which can be recovered by utilizing energy-rich residues for energy production. The integration of biomass-fueled gasifiers and coal-fired energy generation would be advantageous in terms of improved flexibility in response to fluctuations in biomass availability with lower investment costs.

Waste-to-energy plants offer two important benefits of environmentally sound waste management and disposal, as well as the generation of clean electric power. Waste-to-energy facilities produce clean, renewable energy through thermo-chemical, biochemical and physico-chemical methods. Moreover, waste-to-energy plants are highly efficient in harnessing the untapped sources of energy from a variety of wastes.

Decentralized Energy Generation in India

Microgeneration, also called "micropower", is the generation of zero- or low-carbon electrical power by individuals, small businesses and communities to meet their own needs. The most widely used microgeneration technologies include small wind turbines, solar power photovoltaic or biomass conversion systems that have been promoted for decades as alternative sources of renewable energy. Because of technological advances, microgeneration now includes handheld solar and wind-power recharging devices for personal electronics, as well as advanced photovoltaic, biomass and wind-turbine systems for domestic and industrial power generation.

Traditional "megapower" production of electricity is insufficient today because of exponential industrial growth and high living standards. Microgeneration can act as a catalyst for cultural changes in consumer attitude, and provides evidence of the important impact that microgeneration has on consumers' attitudes and behavior regarding energy production and use. Microgeneration is both a serious form of clean energy production and also a cultural movement that is gathering momentum worldwide. Microgeneration technologies include small wind turbines, biomass gasifiers, solar power, micro-hydro, or a combination of these technologies. Prima-facie renewable energy may appear a bit costlier than the conventional sources of energy, but looking at the benefit of continuous power availability and great contribution against global warming, it is worth the extra cost.

Industrialized countries like the United States, Australia and Japan have formulated action plans to foster sustainable energy to make judicious use of renewable energy resources. For example, the U.S. has announced a massive renewable energy program to generate a large share of its total energy requirement from renewable energy sources by 2025, which will create five million new job opportunities in various areas of renewable energy.

Proposed Guidelines for Power Consumers in India

• Explore all possibilities to set up an independent power plant making use of renewable resources like solar, wind and biomass.
• Use of government/utility electricity supply, only in case of emergency.
• Energy savings by using low wattage/high luminous lamps (CFL/LED).
• Use of power factor improvers.
• Regular maintenance and servicing of electrical equipment.
• Avoidance of inverters and large storage batteries (except in emergencies).
• Intelligent power factor correctors to minimize energy losses in capacitors at lower load conditions.
• Frequent energy audits.

Proposed Guidelines for Policy Makers in India

• Vigorous promotion of renewable energy by government agencies, corporate, public sector, academic institutions, etc.
• Establishment of a national-level body to increase awareness of renewable energy at grass-roots level.
• Financial support and sponsorship for research and development in renewable energy technologies.
• Ambitious goals and targets for power generation non-conventional sources.
• Installation of solar/wind/biomass power generation systems and energy savings in every government offices to encourage and inspire people.
• Restriction on using large battery energy storage systems.
• Compulsory installation of solar water heating systems for all urban residential and commercial establishments.
• Mandatory renewable energy systems provision for new residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
• Attractive incentives and subsidies for installation and successful operation of renewable energy equipment.
• Abolishing duties/taxes on import of small-scale renewable energy generating equipment.
• Cultivation of energy crops on marginal and degraded land.
• Use of biofuels in vehicles.
• Soft loans for setting up renewable energy enterprises.
• Additional incentives for buyers and manufacturers of renewable energy equipments in rural areas.

Guidelines for Research Professionals

• Development of comprehensive educational and awareness modules for renewable energy systems.
• Development of cost-effective, high-efficiency and long-lasting photovoltaic cells.
• Development of high-efficiency wind turbines, ranging from 300 W to 10 kW, to generate energy even at low wind velocity.
• Development of small-scale, low maintenance biomass gasifiers to make use of abundant biomass resources in rural areas for cogeneration.

Conclusion

There is an urgent need for transition from petroleum-based energy systems to one based on renewable resources to decrease reliance on depleting reserves of fossil fuels and to mitigate climate change. In addition, renewable energy has the potential to create many employment opportunities at all levels, especially in rural areas. With an emphasis on presenting the real picture of massive renewable energy potential, it would be possible to attract foreign investments to herald a Green Energy Revolution in India.