Introduction to the Energy Crisis
By: Karthik M, ME11B153
The energy crisis can formally be defined as a restriction or
bottleneck in the supply of energy resources to an economy. Broadly, industrial
development and growth of population have resulted in an massive increase in
global energy demand. The energy crisis is one of the most important topics
studied today for the simple reason that the effects it can have are, to a
large extent, dramatic. Inflation and recession, for example, are two aspects intimately
connected to the energy crisis. In fact, the first clear signal that the world
got regarding resource depletion and insufficient supply was the dramatic rise
in oil prices over the last decade.
The most significant rise in
recent years was during 2002-2008. The fall after 2008 was due to the economic
depression
A large number of prominent scientists, economists and
political leaders view the modern energy crisis as the most dangerous problem
at hand. One of the reasons for this could be how closely the energy crisis is
linked with climate change.
Important?
Definitely.
In a nutshell, the primary
cause for the energy crisis is the imbalance between supply and demand. As mentioned earlier, rise in population
has played a major role in the dramatic increase in power requirement. A
popular example is the soaring number of automobiles over the years. According
to a World Bank study in 2011, USA has 797 motor vehicles per 1000 people.
Hence, it is not difficult to picture the consequent and consistent demand for
fuel there. Such automobiles further lose efficiency with use and thereby
result in further energy losses and wastage. In fact, the automobile industry
is one of the few which have recognised its place in the spectrum of energy
consumers and have hence initiated numerous alternative options such as
energy-saving electric cars, hybrid cars and the like. Therefore, in the
decades to come, we can expect a decline in the contribution of motor vehicles
towards the energy crisis. In a multitude of engineering fields, energy
efficiency is one of the most researched parameters. Importantly, this energy
efficiency has significance in domains which are older than the concept itself.
From agriculture to manufacturing to power and also transportation (as
mentioned earlier), the conversion ratio of output obtained to the input given
plays a crucial role. Inefficiencies in agricultural practices for example,
were not given much importance until recently. Agriculture being extremely
fundamental to any economy can and will show drastic changes and/or
improvements for a modification in the underlying methods. In this regard,
directives have been dictated to allow scientific quantification. Primary energy consumption (PEC) in
agriculture is defined as the energy consumed in an
agricultural production system (within the farm limits) including the energy
for the production of all indirect inputs. Energy efficiency in agriculture improvement is another
parameter to be considered which is defined as the decrease of primary energy
consumption for the production of a unit of agricultural product (expressed in
weight or volume units), within the farm boundaries. Moving out and away from
the farms, it is needless to highlight the importance of energy efficiency when
it comes to industries and enterprises. It can be said with reasonable
certainty that most industries have, in one way or the other, evolved towards
energy efficiency. So much so that it has become an important element of their
functional and ethical framework possibly even finding a place in their motto.
However, the awareness towards this scrutiny and the subsequent recognition of
the energy crisis has taken a damagingly extended duration of time, thereby
resulting in the problems which have essentially manifested as fuel
restrictions and inflation.
Google
search results for ‘Energy Crisis’ show that it is quite an important issue in
many nations
Yet another factor for the poor energy scenario
is the inherent social heterogeneity present in a number of communities.
Essentially, the existing economic barriers have, over time, resulted in the
growth of lavish and extravagant lifestyles for those select few. It may be
important to mention here that this way of living is practically unnecessary
and to put things in perspective, simpler entities can provide the same level
of comfort. Nevertheless, there being a number of human elements involved in
these exquisite lifestyles, arguments are nullified. However, what remains is
the substantially higher energy consumption.
And
lastly, a significant fraction of the energy crisis can be contributed to
every-day habits and practices. Starting from keeping the automobile engine
running during a stop signal to forgetting to switch off lights and fans before
leaving a room, a number of such simple routines have proved to afflict
considerable damage on a large scale. Imagining an entire country or continent
drawing power for absolutely no productive usage helps one to understand the
scale of losses. And what is more important is that a number of such practices
may have not yet been identified. Hence, it is crucial to always be conscious towards
energy conservation and remember that small steps can make a big difference. It
is, however, comforting to know that such education regarding judicious use of
existing resources is being imparted at a young age thus ensuring that the
generation of tomorrow are more careful with respect to their energy
requirements.
As
the energy crisis came to be identified and its magnitude understood, it came
to light that the depletion of fossil fuels, (known as conventional sources of
energy) was a serious issue indeed. Therefore, this primarily led to extensive
research in the field of alternative sources of energy. Often this form of
alternative energy also comes under the bracket of sustainable energy which
essentially refers to provision of energy that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Also, known as green sources of energy these forms of energy generation are
particularly noted for their relatively non-polluting nature. The most classic
of the various forms of alternative energy arrangements are solar and wind. Solar energy essentially involves the harnessing of radiant light and heat from the sun using a range of gradually
evolving technologies such as solar heating, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal electricity, solar architecture and artificial
photosynthesis. Development of solar
energy over time has paved the way for concepts such as passive solar building
design and urban heat island. On the other hand, wind power is the
conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using windmills for
mechanical power, wind turbines to make electrical power, and wind pumps for water pumping or drainage. Huge wind farms consist of thousands of
individual wind turbines which are linked to the electric power grid.
Hydro - related energy refers to those sources of alternative energy drawn from
water. Electricity generated by hydropower is denoted as
hydropower. It essentially is the
production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of
falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy,
accounting for 16 percent of global electricity generation – 3,427
terawatt-hours of electricity production in 2010. Also, it is expected to
increase about 3.1 percent each year for the next 25 years. Tidal energy and
geothermal energy are relatively less popular sources which tap the continuous
high and low tides and the energy content of the earth’s internal heat to
propel turbines for energy generation. Having some background on the
alternative sources of energy it is important to
remember that most energy forms have some kind of negative consequences. Hydro
is clean for the air, but disruptive to fish life and communities living near
the river. Nuclear energy is relatively clean as well, but it can produce some
amount of nuclear waste. Wind and Solar the cleanest with least negative
aspects, but they are not as efficient as others. Power management techniques
such as having excess capacity storage, geographically distributed turbines,
dispatchable backing sources, novel forms of storage such as pumped-storage
hydroelectricity, exporting and importing
power to areas in neighbouring regions or reducing demand when wind production
is low, can greatly prove useful to solve the problems of seasonal production
changes and the constantly fluctuating state of load on the power grid.
India’s
Energy Scene
India is
endowed with abundant primary energy sources: fossil, renewable and
unconventional. Coal essentially dominates the country’s energy share with almost 52% in primary energy consumption, followed by oil at 30% and gas which stands at 10%.
Hydroelectricity and nuclear energy account for the remaining portion. The
consumption profile in terms of primary sources is not matched by indigenous
production profile, creating concerns about energy security. Dependence of oil
consumption on imports is currently about 75% which is likely to increase to
80% by 2016-17. The import component of gas is currently standing at 19%,
slated to increase to 28-30% over the next few years. Similarly coal import is
expected to increase from about 90 million tons to over 200 million tons.
As per present estimate, 85% of electric power generation is dependent on oil, natural gas and coal. Even though India has sufficient quantities of coal, it has high ash content, is limited to regional locations, affecting the thermal efficiency of power plants, and also there are environmental concerns. By 2030, a total energy requirement for the country would shoot up to 400,000 MWs from the existing 185,000 MWs.
Ideally, India has potential for 215,000 MWs of power to be realised from renewable resources like solar, wind, hydel and nuclear. The conversion of municipal into energy by 2030 is also a prospective venture. The country has the capability to generate an extra 50,000 MWs of hydel power easily by creating regional waterways. India can generate solar energy to the extent of 60,000 MWs by having large scale solar power. Already, the state of Gujarat has produced 680 MWs of solar electric power through public-private partnership program and the power is being fed to the main electric grid. India has to generate 50,000 MWs of nuclear power, particularly using the thorium route within the next decade and has to generate 65,000 MWs of power using wind energy. If these targets are worked towards, there will be nearly 225,000 MWs of constant electric supply. Here, it is necessary to consider the drop in load factor in wind, solar and hydel which will necessitate generation of 20 to 30% excess power beyond the 400,000 MWs. This can definitely be achieved by converting all the municipal wastes into electric energy which can easily generate over 10,000 MWs of power. The movement towards independence of energy would also require accelerated work in operationalizing the production of energy from the coal sector through combined cycle and integrated gasification route, so that the pre-existing coal based power plant get clean and pure coal and substantially reduce the carbon-di-oxide disposal into the environment.
As per present estimate, 85% of electric power generation is dependent on oil, natural gas and coal. Even though India has sufficient quantities of coal, it has high ash content, is limited to regional locations, affecting the thermal efficiency of power plants, and also there are environmental concerns. By 2030, a total energy requirement for the country would shoot up to 400,000 MWs from the existing 185,000 MWs.
Ideally, India has potential for 215,000 MWs of power to be realised from renewable resources like solar, wind, hydel and nuclear. The conversion of municipal into energy by 2030 is also a prospective venture. The country has the capability to generate an extra 50,000 MWs of hydel power easily by creating regional waterways. India can generate solar energy to the extent of 60,000 MWs by having large scale solar power. Already, the state of Gujarat has produced 680 MWs of solar electric power through public-private partnership program and the power is being fed to the main electric grid. India has to generate 50,000 MWs of nuclear power, particularly using the thorium route within the next decade and has to generate 65,000 MWs of power using wind energy. If these targets are worked towards, there will be nearly 225,000 MWs of constant electric supply. Here, it is necessary to consider the drop in load factor in wind, solar and hydel which will necessitate generation of 20 to 30% excess power beyond the 400,000 MWs. This can definitely be achieved by converting all the municipal wastes into electric energy which can easily generate over 10,000 MWs of power. The movement towards independence of energy would also require accelerated work in operationalizing the production of energy from the coal sector through combined cycle and integrated gasification route, so that the pre-existing coal based power plant get clean and pure coal and substantially reduce the carbon-di-oxide disposal into the environment.
India is dedicated towards
the rise in the share of renewable power in the electricity components to 15 per
cent by the year 2020. The Indian energy sector is expected to be at par with
the global stipulations on carbon emissions and sustainability through various
changes in the current set-up. The launch of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar
Mission, a joint initiative of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and
Ministry of Power, is one of the most important environment friendly energy
solutions available in India. The National Solar Mission targeting 20,000 MW
grid solar Power, 2,000 MW of off-grid capacity including 20 million solar
lighting systems and 20 million square meters solar thermal collector area by
2022 is presently under development and implementation. Recent years have definitely witnessed an impressive growth in number of new initiatives in the renewable energy
sector. The wind energy sector improved by a large margin by adding over 2,800 MW
capacities resulting in grid-connected renewable power capacity crossing the
22,000 MW milestones. During 2011, grid-connected solar power plants crossed
the 100 MW milestones as well. Further, over 1000 remote villages were
electrified through renewable energy systems during this year. As of today wind
energy is clearly one of the fastest growth renewable energy sectors in India. A total
capacity of 15,880 MW of wind power has been installed all over the country. The decision of the Central Government to enforce the Energy Conservation
Building Code in new buildings so as to minimize overall energy consumption and wastage and
recommendations given to the state governments to follow the same with adequate amendments warranted by local requirements and circumstances has proved to be very effective. The code is applicable to all
buildings and complexes having a combined load of 500 KW and more, or having a
contract demand of 600 KVA and more.
India's energy sector can gain prospects and face challenges by bringing about technological innovations
in collaboration with its partners across the globe. The necessary conditions are: a) regulatory
environment in energy sectors, including synergy and coordination among the numerous ministries of the federal government and b) investment climate including regulation of market capital, c) the people aspect of
innovation. Innovation fosters best in an atypical and non-linear work environment where people
with different viewpoints and background come together, but Indian energy industries have unfortunately been slow to recognize this need for diversity. A study of the professional progress
of a number of Fortune 100 company executives showed that a large number of energy
sector executives had background in petroleum, geological or chemical and that close to 90% of them have spent their entire career in
the same energy sector. On the other hand, most non-energy sector Fortune 100
company executives had experience in other more relatively diverse industries and were
professionally trained managers. A survey by the Global Energy management
Institute indicated that bringing leadership from outside the energy sector
will provide fresh ideas and viewpoints and can help resolve the issues and problems that the industry is currently facing. Thus the present global energy scenario faces a variety of obstacles and challenges that can be
addressed in the context of three key drivers: Cooperation between Industry and companies and other sections of the society; Innovation to exploit new
frontiers and non-conventional sources of energy and Investment needed to meet
the growing demand for energy across the society. The environment is certainly
very tough and there is no option but to carry on bettering performance – which
presents difficult choices and considerable challenges and therefore calls for
innovative perspectives. But in a world of ever-growing energy needs, accelerating
technological possibilities and rising customer appetite for new choices,
the energy sector is definitely an exciting place to be in.
An Introduction to Nuclear
Power in India
In India, the usage of nuclear power is well set up. Its popular civil-nuclear strategy has been directed towards full independence in the nuclear fuel cycle, necessary because it is excluded from the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This was a result of India acquiring nuclear weapons capability after 1970. Consequently, India's nuclear power program has been carried forward essentially without technological assistance or fuel from any other country. Its power reactors to the mid-1990s had some of the world's lowest capacity factors, reflecting the technical difficulties of the country's isolation, but rose impressively from 60% in 1995 to 85% in 2001-02. Then in 2008-10 the load factors dropped due to shortage of uranium fuel. Self-sufficiency of India's nuclear energy extended from uranium exploration and mining through heavy water production, fuel fabrication, reactor construction and design, to waste management and reprocessing. It has a small fast breeder reactor and is building a much larger one. India is also in the process of developing technology to utilize its abundant resources of thorium as a nuclear fuel. In 1957, The Atomic Energy Establishment was set up at Trombay, near Mumbai, and renamed as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) a decade later. The blueprints for building the first Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) were finalised in 1964, and this prototype – Rajasthan 1, which had as a reference unit Canada's Douglas Point reactor, was constructed as a collaborative venture between Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) and NPCIL. It commenced operations in 1972 and was duplicated since. Subsequent indigenous PHWR development has been based on these units, though it is possible to identify several stages of evolution. PHWRs with single containment and dousing at Rajasthan 1-2, PHWRs with suppression partial and pool double containment at Madras, and later standardized PHWRs from Narora onwards having suppression pool, double containment, and calandria filled with heavy water. The Indian Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) is the main important policy body.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of
India Ltd (NPCIL) is the agency responsible for construction, design, commissioning and
operation of thermal nuclear power plants all over the country. At the turn of
the decade it said it had sufficient financial support readily available for 10,000 MWe
of a new functional power plant. Its funding model is 30% debt financing and
70% equity. However, it is aiming to involve other private sector and public
corporations in future nuclear power expansion, especially National Thermal Power
Corporation (NTPC). NTPC is significantly larger than NPCIL and sees itself as
the main power producer. NTPC is primarily government-owned. The Atomic Energy
Act of 1962 prohibits private control of nuclear power generation, although it
allows minority investment. Also, recent developments show that the government
had no intention of changing this to allow greater private equity in nuclear
plants.
India's operating nuclear
power reactors:
Reactor
|
State
|
Type
|
MWe net, each
|
Commercial operation
|
Safeguards status
|
Tarapur 1&2
|
Maharashtra
|
BWR
|
150
|
1969
|
Item-specific
|
Kaiga 1&2
|
Karnataka
|
PHWR
|
202
|
1999-2000
|
|
Kaiga 3&4
|
Karnataka
|
PHWR
|
202
|
2007, (due 2012)
|
|
Kakrapar 1&2
|
Gujarat
|
PHWR
|
202
|
1993-95
|
December 2010 under new agreement
|
Madras 1&2 (MAPS)
|
Tamil Nadu
|
PHWR
|
202
|
1984-86
|
|
Narora 1&2
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
PHWR
|
202
|
1991-92
|
In 2014 under new agreement
|
Rajasthan 1
|
Rajasthan
|
PHWR
|
90
|
1973
|
Item-specific
|
Rajasthan 2
|
Rajasthan
|
PHWR
|
187
|
1981
|
Item-specific
|
Rajasthan 3&4
|
Rajasthan
|
PHWR
|
202
|
1999-2000
|
Early 2010 under new agreement
|
Rajasthan 5&6
|
Rajasthan
|
PHWR
|
202
|
Feb & April 2010
|
Oct 2009 under new agreement
|
Tarapur 3&4
|
Maharashtra
|
PHWR
|
490
|
2006, 05
|
|
Kudankulam 1
|
Tamil Nadu
|
PWR
|
917
|
(11/2013)
|
Item-specific
|
Total (21)
|
5302 MWe
|
Madras (MAPS) also known as Kalpakkam
Rajasthan/RAPS is located at Rawatbhata and sometimes called that
Kaiga = KGS, Kakrapar = KAPS, Narora = NAPS
Rajasthan/RAPS is located at Rawatbhata and sometimes called that
Kaiga = KGS, Kakrapar = KAPS, Narora = NAPS
Sources:
1. iaea.org
2. theworldsenergycrisis.wikidot.com/
3. plantforlife.com
4. alternative-energy-news.info
5. Indian Energy Commission Archives
1. iaea.org
2. theworldsenergycrisis.wikidot.com/
3. plantforlife.com
4. alternative-energy-news.info
5. Indian Energy Commission Archives
