Renewable Energy Notes for Airforce Phase 2 GD group discussion

» Renewable Energy

This refers to a renewable source of energy like wind, sun, and biomass. Wind energy, solar energy, and biogas energy along with suitable devices are used in domestic and agricultural purposes. This type of energy can be used for cooking, heating water, lighting, water distillation, water pumping, electric generation, and food processing. Renewable energy is inexhaustible in nature.

1. Wind Energy – Electricity generation, water pumping
2. Solar Energy – Solar lighting, solar refrigeration, solar dryers, cooker, lantern, solar still
3. Tidal Energy – Electricity generation
4. Biomass Energy – Pyrolysis, gasifiers, biogas
5. Geothermal Energy – Electricity and heat production

Merits –

• No danger of depletion
• Inexhaustible, reproducible in nature
• Power plants running on renewable energy have no fuel cost and hence, have a negligible operating cost
• More site-specific (used for local processing)
• No need for distribution and transmission of power
• Low energy density
• Do not pose a threat to ecology or environment
• Most of the power plants and devices made out of renewable energy and prepared by local, skilled labour are simple in construction and design. Thus, it helps generate local employment and save foreign exchange
• The remote villages in rural India can be served better with renewable sources of energy available locally. This will boost savings from transmitting electricity from far off distance or transporting fuels.