Published on: December 16, 2024

Energy Resources of India

Energy Resources of India

India’s energy resources are categorized into conventional and non-conventional sources. These resources play a vital role in supporting agriculture, industries, transportation, and the economy at large.

Conventional Energy Resources

  1. Coal:
    • India’s most significant energy source, primarily used in thermal power generation and iron smelting.
    • Found mainly in Gondwana and Tertiary deposits.
    • Major coalfields: Damodar Valley (Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro), Mahanadi, Godavari, and Sone valleys.
    • Lignite (brown coal) is found in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Gujarat.
  2. Petroleum:
    • Also known as “liquid gold” due to its versatility and scarcity.
    • Found in sedimentary rocks of the tertiary period.
    • Key oil fields: Assam (Digboi, Naharkatiya, Moran), Gujarat (Ankaleshwar, Mehsana), and Mumbai High.
    • New reserves discovered in the Krishna-Godavari and Cauvery basins.
  3. Natural Gas:
    • Found alongside petroleum deposits.
    • Major reserves: Mumbai High, Cambay Basin, and Krishna-Godavari Basin.
    • Widely used for power generation, heating, and as raw material for petrochemical industries.
  4. Nuclear Energy:
    • Utilizes uranium and thorium.
    • Uranium is found in Singhbhum (Jharkhand) and parts of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh.
    • Thorium is extracted from monazite sands in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha.
    • Key nuclear power stations: Tarapur (Maharashtra), Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu), and Rawatbhata (Rajasthan).

Non-Conventional Energy Resources

  1. Solar Energy:
    • Harnessed through photovoltaic cells and solar thermal technologies.
    • High potential in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
  2. Wind Energy:
    • Pollution-free and inexhaustible.
    • Major centers: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
  3. Tidal and Wave Energy:
    • Potential along the western coast but remains largely untapped.
  4. Geothermal Energy:
    • Generated from Earth’s internal heat.
    • Example: Manikaran plant in Himachal Pradesh.
  5. Bio-Energy:
    • Derived from agricultural residues and municipal waste.
    • Example: Okhla waste-to-energy plant in Delhi.

India is gradually transitioning towards non-conventional sources of energy for sustainability and to reduce dependence on exhaustible resources​