sustainable energy: a strategy of energy security

Sustainable Energy: a Strategy of Energy Security
Suwa Lal Jangu & Kausik Ghosh
Electricity is essential for any who care to participate in globalization, and huge numbers of the world’s rural poor still long for this basic tool at a time of tight supply and fluctuating prices. The paper examines two frontiers – sustainable energy and strategy of energy security to meet the energy needs. More than 40 percent of the world’s rural poor lack access to electricity, cutting entire communities off from communication, internet or business networks and reducing education and financial opportunities. The sustainability of any rural electrification program depends on power going toward useful purposes – including income generation, education, safety or time-saving conveniences. The world’s rural poor impatiently await electricity that brings business and communication opportunities. Energy strategy means security of energy and energy security means what is strategy for security of energy? Energy strategy includes three processes: resources of energy, production and management of energy and consumption of energy as electricity uses. In this way, sustainability becomes important when our common future ahead in challenges of climate changes and unsustained development. All above three processes must be take place in line of environmental friendly, economically viable and efficiency in consumption of energy. Sustainable energy is a strategy of energy security. Energy security is a problem and that could be solved through sustainable energy development. One of the greatest challenges facing humanity during the twenty-first century must surely be that of giving everyone on the planet access to safe, clean and sustainable energy supplies. Energy is indeed at the crossroads of nearly every dimension of globalisation and development – and indeed security.
Keywords: energy security, energy poverty, sustainable energy, sustainable source, renewable energy, biofuels, biomass, biomass bastion, biodiesel, green energy, Rural Information, Infomediaries, productive-uses, climate change, energy efficiency and mixed energy.
One cannot open a newspaper without reading the word globalization, yet vast areas of the world are left out of a globalized network for a simple reason: lack of electricity. Denied power, rural communities continue to remain isolated, mired in poverty, deprived of the potential for economic development and modern social services. The quest for electricity by rural communities comes at a time as energy prices fluctuating, fossil fuels are in decline and emerging carbon markets promise income from climate-neutral forms of energy generation. As a result, rural locations could be the pioneers for some alternative forms of energy.
There is need of energy to combat poverty, to develop, to improve living conditions and to thrive as societies. This is just as true for a rural community in the south of India as for a district in the north of Norway. At the same time, its now knows for certain that the way of approach energy, the way of produce, extract and consume it, will determine the future shape of life on earth. Climate change is no longer a scenario. It is happening now and feels the effects – from changes in the weather to rising temperatures and melting glaciers – be they in the Arctic or in the Himalayas.
In short – nowhere can the interdependence of globalisation be better illustrated. Economically rich people lead to middle class are in the driving seat. It is up to the rich people how they steer the development, and this fact should occupy commoners’ attention in every possible setting. The outlook of global warming is not exciting. But it needs not be driven by pessimism. It will take the ingenuity of the human mind to develop new technologies – and people know this can be done. It will take political skills to develop new mechanisms of international cooperation to shoulder equitably the burden of change – it knows that this too can be done. And it will take the acknowledgement of all of the rich people that the poor have a right to develop, and that access to energy is vital for combating poverty.1
Over 95,000 villages and nearly 60 percent of rural households in India still have no access to electricity. About 18,000 of these villages are said to be unreachable through the grid electricity in the near future.2 More than 60 percent of population in developing nations lack access to electricity and the problem is especially stark in Africa, with more than 90 percent of its rural population lacking access. That means labourers are limited to toiling daylight hours, students cannot read into the night and any family activities take place by fire or flashlight.


Table 1. Electricity Needs in Developing Countries

Lack of electricity also means that inhabitants of rural areas in developing countries cannot share in many benefits of globalization – including the internet and telecommunications, which increase the flow of information, allowing producers to market their wares, shoppers to compare prices or quality, and ordinary people to discover new ideas and opportunities.3
By definition sustainable energy is the provision of energy such that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. That means that sustainable energy is energy which is replenishable within a human lifetime and causes no long-term damage to the environment. From this definition it is clear that all renewable energy sources are sustainable because base energy providers for renewable energy sources are very stable and human activity can not influence those energy providers in some larger scale.
Sustainable energy includes all types of energies their development, production and consumption not to be against environment or in other words our energy should be within environment and not against environment these are renewable energy, green energy, clean energy and other environment friendly energies produce from various sources.
The Brundtland Commission's view that developments should not compromise the needs of future generations, suggest that we should judge the sustainability of energy systems on an indefinite time scale – far into the very distant future. This might be thought to be unrealistic when applied to the distant future. Future generations will be justified in blaming us for creating problems that were foreseeable, but they can hardly hold us responsible for eventualities that none of us could have anticipated.
Sustainable energy is about using energy wisely and using energy generated from clean sources and clean technologies. Wise energy use is the first step to ensuring we have sustainable energy for present and future generations. Being efficient with energy will reduce the household and business energy bills, reduce the amount of energy that need to produce in the first place and cut energy related greenhouse pollution. So sustainable energy is not just about using renewable energy, perhaps it’s not even about renewable energy as we explain further below, it’s about using energy wisely and introducing energy efficiency measures.
How people secure to source, produce of energy and consume of electricity around the world is called “energy security” and further it therefore no longer just the domain of the energy industry and domestic economic policy but, increasingly, of foreign policy as well. Renewed concerns about energy supply and demand have catalyzed countries in pursuit of "energy security", a notion that entails a wide array of significant political, economic, social, environmental and trade-related implications. How each actor defines its own energy security, the precise components and the policy challenges it faces depends to a large degree on the actor's position in the energy supply chain, e.g. producing or consuming country, developed or developing country, or international or national oil company.
However it is perceived, energy security presents major domestic and international policy challenges. For example, while increasing awareness of the problems people face regarding energy has led to innovation around new sources of energy, it has led elsewhere to the re-emergence of “petro-diplomacy”, wherein national ownership of energy resources is used to leverage foreign policy and other objectives.4
India is third after the US and Germany in the Ernst & Young Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index. A key driver for renewable power development has been the evolving policy and regulatory framework. A comprehensive Electricity Act was enacted in 2003, which provides for the state regulators to specify a minimum percentage of power to be procured from renewable sources in the respective states. The RPS (renewable portfolio standards) of up to 10% has already been established in 16 states for overall renewable energy purchase.
The National Electricity Policy seeks to encourage private sector participation and the Tariff Policy calls upon state regulators to provide preferential tariff for renewable power. And the Indian Government’s National Action Plan on Climate Change has outlined just such a plan – called National Solar Mission - to tap the sun’s offer of heat and light. The solar energy plan envisages a solar capacity increase to 20 GW by 2020, 100 GW by 2030 and 200 GW by 2050. The estimated cost over the next three decades is about Rs 91,684 crores (about US$ 20 billion).5

Sustainable Energy
There is a need of sustainable energy for sustainable development; clean and green energy are forms of sustainable energy. The transition to a sustainable energy economy is one of the, most important issues in the 21st century. This means that there is need to find for more efficient ways of converting energy, and make greater use of renewable energy sources. If there is need or want to be assured of a reliable and affordable energy supply 50 years hence, now is the time to start making radical changes in the way of produce and consume energy. Renewable energy resources represent not only important areas of future development but also clean and green environment. It is urgent seek to satisfy a greater proportion of energy needs from biomass, solar and wind power.


















public role
awareness production technology
investment
availability


sustainable
energy
strategy





consumption

policies
strategies

Energy management cycle

This is the only way in which we can significantly and permanently reduce the output of carbon dioxide. Anyone with a background in natural sciences knows that energy cannot be generated; it can only be converted from one form into another. The expression renewable energy has been part of the vernacular for years. It refers to sources that at least on a human time scale, are practically inexhaustible, or where the raw material is capable of replenishment. Among these are waterpower, wind power, biomass, and solar energy. If there is hope to go on manufacturing goods, heating our homes, tube wells of farmers, driving cars and working with computers, now is the time to start making and working radical changes in the way people produce and consume energy.6
A new energy source is defined as energy source which an alternative to fossil fuel energy, which is technically feasible, but which is not widely used because of the cost. New energy refers to sustainable energy sources which as solar or wind power; it does not include those types of energy for which the technology is well established, such as hydroelectric power. New energy source, which are not limited by exhaustible resources and are environmentally friendly are expected to have an important role to play in securing a stable supply of energy, and in preventing future global warming.7
Sustainable sources are energy sources which are not likely to be exhausted in a timeframe relevant to the human race, and which therefore contribute to the sustainability of all species. Sustainable energy are most often regarded as including all renewable sources, such as solar power, wind power, wave power, geothermal power, tidal power, and so on. Fission and fusion power meet the definition of sustainability, but there is controversy over whether or not they should be regarded as sustainable. Renewable energy sources capture their energy from existing flows of energy, from on-going natural process, such as sunshine, wind, flowing water (hydropower), biological process, and geothermal heat flow.
The most common definition is that, renewable energy is from energy resources that is replaced rapidly by a natural process and such as power generate from the sun or from the wind. Example of direct use is solar ovens, geothermal heating, and water and windmills. Example of indirect use which requiring energy harvesting are electricity generation through wind turbine or photovoltaic cells(PV- Cells), or production of fuel such as biogas from anaerobic digestion or ethanol from biomass. Sustainable energy sources that are not renewable are those whose stock is not replenished, but for which the presently available stocks are expected to last for as long as human civilization cares to use them. For instance, these energy sources are derived from nuclear energy, as other forms of stored energy found on the earth do not have sufficient energy density to supply humanity indefinitely.
Energy is the prime source of socio-economic development and activities of the human community. The demographic rate of growth globally and the widening spectrum of economic growth would result in demands of energy and for this non-conventional energy the Road Ahead.
The renewable energy also as storage energy that can release quickly when it needed like solar, wind, micro or mini hydropower plant, etc. Demand for electrical power changes throughout the day. For instance, when peak time of irrigation to crops in the winter and summer, a season of marriage parties in rural areas, causing a sudden peak in demand. If fossil fuel based power stations do not generate more power immediately, there will be power cuts around the rural areas, causing farmers agitation and all sorts of other trouble will occur.
The world is not harnessing enough alternative energy sources. At the moment, no more than 2% or 3% of most countries' energy comes from renewable sources. But it has to be done. China, for example, has a lot of Sun; it has a lot of hydro-energy, a great deal of biomass potential - these are all sources of renewable energy. Unfortunately, these sources of energy haven't been developed in the West, so there are no good innovations available that will solve the problems.
Therefore, much of that innovation will have to be done in China and in India and in other developing countries. It believes that the future lies in choosing those kinds of technologies. But they will not happen on their own. They will have to be actively pursued. There is a disconnection here between those who bear the historical responsibility for where the environment is today and those who are actually going to end up paying the cost. “The omelet has been eaten and the people whose eggs got broken are somewhere else”8
At the basic level, development of any form of energy will be sustainable only if it is clean, affordable and accessible. Therefore, expanding different sources of renewable energy is definitely a viable energy security option for India in the long run. However, the key question is: how much further can India go in expanding renewable energy sectors given the geographical limitations, dependence on external sources for technology and financial constraints of renewable energy?9

Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is energy obtained from natural resources that can be naturally replenished or renewed within a human lifespan, that is, the resource is a sustainable source of energy. Some natural resources, such as moving water, wind and sunshine, are not at risk of depletion from their use for energy production. Biomass, however, is a renewable resource only if its rate of consumption does not exceed its rate of regeneration. A wide range of energy-producing technologies and equipment have been developed over time to take advantage of these natural resources. As a result, usable energy can be produced in the form of electricity, industrial heat, thermal energy for space and water conditioning, and transportation fuels.10
There is the possibility of energy efficiency improvements well in excess of 50% in most industrial countries and all rapidly industrialising economies. In terms of renewable energy, technically, there is potential for renewables to meet global consumption many, many times over - the trick is to do it economically. The European Renewable Energy Council, which work showed that there is potential for nearly 48% of global energy demand by 2040 to be met by economically feasible renewables.11

Thus, people must use and generate energy from non-conventional sources for our sustainable development. Clean and green energy solution for sustainable development and non-conventional energy sources are: biogas, geothermal, hydrogen, ocean waves, solar energy, underground power, and wind. The Indian government has set a target for renewable energy 10,000 MW by 2012; it can be met through National Solar Mission and development of windmills, biogas plants and biofuel production. This target is not the big question. Renewable energy is just 3% of the total installed power generation capacity in the country.
India has formulated a Renewable Energy Act with the target to meet 20 per cent of country’s energy requirements from this sector by 2020. The Pune-based, non-profit and non-governmental institute, The World Institute of Sustainable Energy (WISE) has drafted a model act. Other advanced provisions relating to renewable stand-alone and micro systems are as follows:
• Solar water heating to be made mandatory throughout the urban areas of the country by 2012, in a phased manner.
• A time-bound programme of demonstration of solar rooftop lighting systems in 10,000 government buildings by 2010, also incorporating building integrated photo-voltaics.
• Conversion of fossil fuel based industrial heating to solar thermal heating using new solar concentrator technology or its hybrids.
• India has at present about 30,000 MW captive generating units (industrial units), of which about 18,000 MW are diesel based. The draft law proposes time-bound conversion of these captive units to bio fuel based generation. This will save large amounts of diesel.
• Provision for small biomass based energy systems for rural areas.
• Indigenous development of small wind power systems upto 25 kW (and hybrids) for stand-alone applications.
• Widespread application of co-generation concepts (heat and power) for lighting, heating and cooling.
About 70%pulation lived in rural India, 65% people of India depend on agricultural activities, and here is agro-based livelihood of the rural Indians. Why we cannot produce energy from agro-based and rural based energy sources when need of energy in rural India. Can India produce the required breakthrough vis-à-vis this domain of energy source? Agro-based, yes, that is what India’s expertise has been in and that is what this fuel, too, is.
As far as the renewable energy sector is concerned and a vocal proponent of its advantages, in a recent interaction, listed some of the positive developments for the sector. The 50 paise a unit generation-based incentive offered by the Government of India is one such. The other is the response to an initiative taken by the government – that of getting a renewable energy law enacted in the country. At the public opinion is not only well aware about renewable energy that but also there is need of such a piece of legislation that would give the sector the much-needed boost.
A look at the ground reality is in order. Of the total 148,265 MW of installed power capacity at the end of April 2009 in the country, the renewable energy sector at 13,242 MW accounts for just about 9 per cent. Of this, the wind power capacity totals 10,134 MW, with the balance being accounted for by other renewable energy sources such as biomass, cogen, small hydro, solar and waste-to-energy projects. More advanced economies, particularly in Europe, have set ambitious targets for increasing the electricity they get from green power sources and are following that up with major fiscal incentives and regulatory measures.
In India too, there has been some movement at least as far as the regulatory measures are concerned. A number of State electricity regulatory commissions have specified that distribution utilities, in cases where the electricity utility has been unbundled, or the State Electricity Boards itself should source a specified percentage of the power they sell to consumers from renewable energy sources. Moreover, the States are also offering attractive tariffs for power from renewable sources. All this, the industry believes, will lead to increased private sector investment in the sector.
As it is, a number of multinationals and some domestic power utilities and petroleum companies are investing in the renewable energy sector. For the sector to really take off, the powers that be have to realise that incentives are needed and that these to be sector specific and properly monitored. Emerging technologies in the renewable energy sector are capital intensive, which calls for higher levels of State support through higher tariffs and funds at cheaper rates of interest.12



Actual Installed Renewable - Based Plants in India
Source Units Installed
Windfarms MW 557
Windpumps Nos 3289
Small Hydro (upto 3 MW) MW 122
Biomass Gasifiers X 10 6 2.12
Solar PV kW 825
Source: www.greenbusinesscentre.com
Estimates of Potential Capacities from Renewable Energy Sources (in MWs)
Source Approx. Potential
Biomass energy 19,500
Solar energy 20,000
Wind energy 47,000
Small hydropower 15,000
Ocean energy 50,000
Source: India Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources
The sum of these renewable resource potentials, 152,000 MW, is greater than the current total installed energy generating capacity of India.13
“Green energy” is a relative concept. All energy use and all electricity production have negative effects on the environment. Electricity is the single largest source of air pollution in the world, and a wide variety of environmental problems arise from all stages of electricity production and distribution (Harvey 1997). These include damages resulting from green house gases, thermal power plant pollution, electromagnetic fields, sulphur and nitrogen oxides, noise pollution, degradation of wilderness with transmission lines, destruction of fish and other wildlife habitats, air toxins, ionizing radiation, het and light pollution, and aesthetic degradation through creating ugly city and rural landscapes(Stevenson 1994: 404-05).
The electricity sector is single largest source of reported toxic emissions in the developed countries. Some forms are electricity production is much worse than others: coal is worse than oil, oil is worse than gas, and gas is worse than hydro; nuclear is probably worse than anything else. Coal- and oil- fired plants contribute most of the air pollutants, although gas-fired plants contribute to green house gases through CO2 emissions. Shifting from conventional energy sources to sustainable energy sources can not only reduce the environmental damage of electricity generation but also ensure for energy security.14

Biofuel: prospects and problems
Biofuel is any fuel that is derived from biomass - recently living organisms or their metabolic byproducts, such as manure from cows. It is a renewable energy source, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and nuclear fuels. Ethanol is manufactured from microbial conversion of biomass materials through fermentation. Ethanol contains 35% oxygen. The production process consists of conversion of biomass to fermentable sugars, fermentation of sugars to ethanol, and the separation and purification of the ethanol. Fermentation initially produces ethanol containing a substantial amount of water. Distillation removes the majority of water to yield about 95% purity ethanol, the balance being water. This mixture is called hydrous ethanol. If the remaining water is removed in a further process, the ethanol is called anhydrous ethanol and is suitable for blending into gasoline.
Ethanol is “denatured” prior to leaving the plant to make it unfit for human consumption by addition of a small amount of products such as gasoline. Biodiesel fuels are oxygenated organic compounds - methyl or ethyl esters - derived from a variety of renewable sources such as vegetable oil, animal fat, and cooking oil. The oxygen contained in biodiesel makes it unstable and requires stabilization to avoid storage problems. Rapeseed methyl ester (RME) diesel, derived from rapeseed oil, is the most common biodiesel fuel available in Europe. In the United States, biodiesel from soybean oil, called soy methyl ester diesel, is the most common biodiesel. Collectively, these fuels are referred to as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME).15
Bio-diesel is an eco-friendly, alternative diesel fuel prepared from domestic renewable resources, i.e. vegetable oils (edible or non-edible seeds), and animal fats. These natural oil and fats are making up mainly triglycerides. These triglycerides when reacted chemically with lower alcohols in presence of catalyst result in fatty acid esters. These esters show striking similarity to petroleum derived diesel and are called “Bio-diesel.” As India is deficient in edible oils, non-edible oil may be material of the choice for producing bio-diesel. For this purpose, Jatropha considered as potential source for it.
Bio-diesel is produced by trans-esterification of oil obtains from the plant. Jatropha Curcas has been identified for India as the most suitable Tree Borne Oilseed (TBO) for production of bio-diesel in view of both the non-edible oil available from it and its presence throughout the country. The capacity of Jatropha Curcas to rehabilitate degraded or dry lands, from which the poor mostly derive their sustenance, by improving lands water’s retention capacity, make it additionally suitable for up-gradation of land resources. Presently, in some Indians villages, farmers are extracting oil from Jatropha and after settling and decanting it, they are mixing the filtered oil with diesel fuel. Although, so far the farmers have not observed any damage to their machinery, yet this remains to be tested.
The fact remains that this oil needs to be converted to bio-diesel through a chemical reaction is trans-esterification. This reaction is so simple and does not require any exotic material. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has been using a laboratory scale plant of 100kg/day capacity for trans-esterification; designing of the larger capacity plants is in the offing. These large plants are useful for centralized production of bio-diesel. Production of bio-diesel in smaller plants of capacity, e.g.5 to 20kg/per day may also be started at decentralized level in villages. By this way, it can provide energy security to remote and rural areas and see as good potential means for employment generation in rural areas.
All Tree Bearing Oils (TBO), edible and non-edible may be used for bio-diesel production. Edible oil-seeds are Soya-bean, Sunflower, Mustard Oil, etc. Non-edible oilseeds are Jatropha Curcas, Pongemia Pinnata, Neem, etc. Edible seeds cannot be used for bio-diesel production in India, as its indigenous production does not meet current demands. Among non-edible TBO, Jatropha Curcas has been identified as the most suitable seed for India. The economic of the trans-esterification reaction is the only limiting factor not allowing its rollout in industry at the present stage in the nation.
This is hoped to be achieved by using lipase catalysis in the trans-esterification reaction instead of traditional catalysis using sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. Thereby, by the calculation of the energetic involved in each process as chemical and biological proved that why not should invest more time, energy and intellectual efforts on production of lipase as thermomyces lanuginose for lipase catalyzed trans-esterification. In addition, the calculation of the total energy that is put into the production of the fuel, right from the sowing and growth of Jatropha, the yield of oil, to the carrying out of the process of trans-esterification will give the scientific community and industry an insight into the feasibility of the fuel.16
On September 12, 2008, the Indian government announced a new national biofuels policy. By 2017, it will aim to meet 20% of India’s diesel demand with fuel derived from plants rather than fossils. Since 2003, the government’s intent has been articulated in a National Biodiesel Mission. This has been mirrored in the recommendations of the Planning Commission’s Committee on Development of Biofuels — the proportion of biofuel blends to be mixed with petroleum be increased from five percent to 20 percent by 2012. A Group of Ministers (GoM), headed by the Union Minister of Agriculture, is tasked with a full-fledged biofuels policy.
Biofuels are likely to play a central role in the quest for energy security and GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions reduction in the coming decades. A National Biofuel Policy has on been unveiled which is aimed at the development of indigenous biomass feedstocks and next generation biofuels to increasingly substitute petrol and diesel for transport and stationary applications. The Indian approach to biofuels is based solely on non-food feedstocks, to be raised on degraded or wasteland not suited to agriculture, thus avoiding a possible fuel versus food security conflict, while creating new employment opportunities in rural areas.17
There are some principal reasons for promoting a biofuels industry through government policies are:
(1) the production and consumption of biofuels leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions;
(2) a biofuels industry increases farm income through introduction of a new market for farm commodities;
(3) establishment of biofuel plants in rural communities promotes rural development and economic diversification; and
(4) production of biofuels assists with energy security by making the domestic economy less reliant on imported fossil fuels.18
Are biofuels a sustainable solution to climate change? Many countries at climate change conference – including China, the European Union countries, and the U.S. – have set targets for the use of biofuels to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Biofuels are liquid fuels made from animal or plant matter. Burning them to power vehicles can result in fewer emissions per unit of energy than using petroleum fuels. Their production may also promote rural development and national energy security. These may not in fact be a sustainable solution to climate change. Depending on the plants used to make the fuel, the production process, and the policy frameworks of governments. These may lead to rising food prices, soil degradation, and loss of biodiversity, increased rural poverty, and greater GHG emissions due to deforestation. These concerns are mainly in world largest biofuel producer country Brazil.
The U.S. is the world’s second largest producer of biofuels, and this is mostly ethanol made from corn. The enthusiasm of the Government for corn ethanol arguably has little to do with its environmental benefits, and much more to do with reducing dependence on oil imports, and reducing government subsidies paid to corn farmers. An increase in demand for corn because of new domestic targets for ethanol has driven up the price and in turn leads to the government saving some US$6billion in subsidies to corn farmers. These economic benefits of corn ethanol to the United States economy are what drive its growth.
But it has negative consequences elsewhere. As demand for corn as a fuel rises, so too does its price. In late 2006 prices of corn jumped by 65 percent, effecting both global corn prices and the price of other foods such as soy beans which are used to substitute for corn in animal feed. These shifts in production, demand and price for U.S. corn have significant implications for food security in food importing countries. These impacts on food prices need to be set against the modest reductions in GHG emissions from corn ethanol. At present ethanol can only be mixed with gasoline in quantities of up to 10 percent (described as E10) without engine modification. Given ethanol provides less power to an engine than gasoline, more fuel is required to travel the same distance. Therefore studies indicate using E10 may actually result in a net increase in emissions. The development of palm oil biodiesel in Indonesia provides another example where biofuels may have significant negative impacts.
The aggregate economic benefits of palm oil biodiesel seem good. The Government aims to create millions of jobs and $1.3 billion worth of exports by 2010 through new palm oil plantations and value-added exports. Recent regional development plans have designated 20 million hectares for oil palm plantations, mainly in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and West Papua. The areas suitable for oil palm cultivation in Indonesia overlap significantly with the areas of lowland tropical rainforest, which are home to more than 6 percent of the world’s plant species, 6 percent of mammal species, 7 percent of reptile and amphibian species, 10 percent of bird species, and 15 percent of the world’s fish species. An expansion of plantations into these areas would mean the loss of large amounts of biodiversity.
Clearing rainforests that grow in peat spoils for new palm oil plantations would also mean a huge release of emissions. These emissions would be many times larger than those saved by the burning of biodiesel instead of conventional diesel. Already a quarter of the plantations in Indonesia are on peat soils, and most of the new expansion is likely to be in these areas. The establishment of palm oil plantations in Indonesia has also often involved the forced displacement of communities, and this can result in violent conflict, assault, torture, murder, and the destruction of property. The growth in employment from new plantations may not mean an improvement in livelihoods as local people have little choice but to become palm oil labourers when the forests surrounding their village are occupied by plantations.
The increasing international demand for palm oil as a fuel and as a substitute for corn as an animal feed has meant palm oil producers in Indonesia can earn more from exports than from domestic sales. For this reason local palm oil prices have increased by a third in recent times. These examples illustrate that many biofuels may be good for business, but are not a sustainable solution to greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. They result in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in poverty and food insecurity in many parts of the world.19

Wind Energy
The kinetic energy in wind can be converted into useful forms of energy such as mechanical energy or electricity. Wind energy has been harnessed for centuries to propel sailing vessels and turn grist mills and water pumps. Today, wind is used increasingly to generate electricity. Turbines with large propellers are erected on ‘wind farms’ located in strategic areas that have good wind regimes and that are in proximity to existing electrical grids. Wind energy is captured only when the wind speed is sufficient to move the turbine blades, but not in high winds when the turbine might be damaged if operated.
The production of energy from the wind by building a tall tower with a large propeller on it's top. The wind blows the propeller round, which turns a generator to produce electricity. It tends to build many of these towers together, to make a “wind farm,” and produce more electricity. The more towers, the more wind, and the large the propellers, the more electricity can make. The best places for wind farms are in costal areas, at the tops of rounded hills, open plains and gaps in mountains—places where the wind is strong and reliable. To be worthwhile, it needs an average wind speed of around 25 km/h. most wind farms in the India are the coasts, especially in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Wind power is renewable.
The installed wind power capacity rose 28% globally according to the American Wind Energy Association in2002. Germany is the leader with a capacity of 12,001 MW; Spain is next with about 3000 MW. Wind power in India; share of renewable energies in installed power plant output 1.26%. Tamil Nadu is way ahead of the other states in harnessing wind power followed by Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh since 1995-96 less than 300 MW of wind energy capacity has been added 600 windmills have been installed on a plateau near Satara in Maharasthra, making it one of the biggest in the world.
Wind energy projects pickup steam in Rajasthan. Private companies, enthused by the incentives in the Rajasthan government’s 1999-wind energy policy, have begun projects in three districts of the State. Wind pumps operate by windmills; it was nominated the ‘blue planet prize’ in 1997, annually award given by the Ashai Foundation, Japan, on global environment and set-up at Auroille Pondochary.
The wind energy industry is booming in India. With total output of nearly 2,500mws, India is ranked 5th in the world in wind energy production. Compared to china, India has made a significant step forwards. Renewable energy was been on the political agenda in New Delhi since the early 1980s. 50,000 gharats (windmills) can generate 2500 MW of electricity. The Indian renewable energy development agency (IREDA) has already committed about for a number of energy efficiency and conservation projects. India has a vest potential for tapping solar energy, power from small hydroelectric projects, biogas and industrial and other waste plants. It stands fifth in wind production in the world. The union government is yet to formulate uniform policy on the green energy.

Biogas and Biomass Energy
The biogas is an effective alternative to LPG. In addition, slurry from the biogas plant is being used to make vermin-compost. The waste generated in the public garden or farms is turned into vermin-compost that serves as manure. Vermin-compost is good quality manure that we use in the gardens and save money that would otherwise have been spent on purchasing organic manure. In a biogas plant, dung that is collected from the stables is being used to generate biogas, which in turn is being used as a fuel in the barracks and the stables. These economic initiatives like biogas are being used for empowerment of poor people as women. The people from marginalized sections like women are being trained and made part of self-help groups that are given the responsibility of managing the vermin-compost pits.
The financial shortage to making India as self-sufficient in energy security, India needs foreign technology and money. What is important is energy connectivity to villages by proper deployment of money and use of technology. For example, in 2008, Project Roshini was launched in the Estate like Rasthrapati Bhavan is a step to conserve energy and environment. In this biogas project, recycle waste generated in the public places and turn into compost.20
Even remote areas can be electrified through biomass gasification. Biogas plants need to be improved technologically before they become a success. Efforts are on, rather slowly. Installed capacity is 3.56 million biogas plants. India’s surplus biomass, compromising agro-residues, can generate up to 16,000 MW of power. Livestock can generate 40’000 MW of power. India’s largest biogas plant installed in Methan village of Patan district in Gujarat that saved about 500 metric tones of fuel wood annually. It has been running since 1987, with miner repairs and supplies gas to the villagers. A cooperative runs the plant with no external assistance. Uses cow dung freed to the digesters after mixing with water.




Biomass bastion
Several types of biomass can be used, with the proper technology and equipment, to produce energy. The most commonly used type of biomass is wood, either round wood or wood waste from industrial activities. Wood and wood waste can be combusted to produce heat used for industrial purposes, for space and water heating, or to produce steam for electricity generation. Through anaerobic digestion, methane can be produced from solid landfill waste or other biomass materials such as sewage, manure and agricultural waste. Sugars can be extracted from agricultural crops and, through distillation; alcohols can be produced for use as transportation fuels. As well, numerous other technologies exist or are being developed to take advantage of other biomass feedstock.
Sugar cane can be fermented to make alcohol, which can be burned to generate power in the same way as coal. Alternatively, the cane can be crushed and the pulp (called “bagasse”) can be burned, to make steam to drive turbines. Other solid wastes, can be burned to provide heat, or used to make steam for a power station. “Bioconversion” uses plant and animal wastes to produce fuel as methanol, natural gas, and oil. The producing units can use of rubbish, animal manure, woodchips, seaweed, corn stalks, and other wastes for the bioconversion. The fuel is burned, which heats water into steam, which turns turbines, which in turn drive generators, just like in a fossil-fuel power station.

Ocean Waves Energy
The ocean is a vast source of energy that can be harnessed to produce different forms of usable energy. For instance, technologies have been developed to convert the energy of ocean waves and tides into electricity or other useful forms of power. However, a number of technical, economic and environmental barriers remain and, as a result, ocean energy is currently not a widely exploited energy source.
Wave whirls we know as ocean waves are caused by the wind as it blows across the sea. Waves are a powerful source of energy. The problem is that it is not easy to harness this energy and convert it into electricity in large amounts. Thus, wave power stations are rarely. The tide moves a huge amount of water twice each day, and harnessing it could provide a great deal of energy-around 10% of India’s needs. Although the energy supply is reliable and plentiful, converting it into useful electrical power is not easy. Tidal power works rather like a hydro-electricity scheme, except that the dam is much bigger. A huge dam (called a “barrage”) is build across a river estuary. When the tide goes in and out, the water flows through tunnels in the dam. The ebb and flow of the tides can be used to turn a turbine, or it can be used to push air through a pipe, which then turns a turbine.
Large lock gates, like the ones used on canals, allow ships to pass. Another option is to use offshore turbines, rather like an underwater wind farm. This has the advantage of being much cheaper to build, and does not have the environmental problems that a tidal barrage would bring. There are also many suitable sites. Tidal energy is renewable. The tides will continue to ebb and flow, and the energy is there for the taking.
A California company invented a method of harnessing energy from ocean waves, one way to capture nature’s inherent energy. Wave energy can produce an average of 85 megawatts per mile of coastline, enough to power almost 50,000 homes. The world’s first commercial wave power station has been established on the Herbrindean Island of Islay in Scotland supplies power up to 500KW from November 2000. Norway installs world’s first underwater electricity grid to be powered by tidal currents.


Solar Energy
Just the tiny fraction of the Sun’s energy that hits the Earth (around a hundredth of a millionth of a percent) is enough to meet all our power needs many times over. In fact, every minute, enough energy arrives at the Earth to meet our demands for a whole year ---if only we could harness it properly. Solar Cells (really called “photovoltaic” or “photoelectric” cells) that convert light directly into electricity. In a sunny climate, you can get enough power to run a 100 W light bulb from just one square meter of solar panel.
Solar One was very expensive to build, but as fossil fuels run out and become more expensive, solar power stations may become a better option. One idea that is being considered to build solar towers. The idea is very simple-----as to build a big greenhouse, which is warmed by the Sun. Put a vey tall tower in the middle of the greenhouse. The hot air from the greenhouse will rise up this tower, fast—and can drive turbines along the way. This could generate significant amounts of power. Solar power is renewable. The Sun will keep on shining anyways, so it makes sense to use it. In the state of Rajasthan, India, the world's largest solar cooker helps prepare meals for 20,000 members of a religious community. 84 parabolic mirrors with a diameter of 9 meter (13 feet) convert energy of the sun's energy to produce about 3600kg (8,000 pounds) of steam.
Research & Development in solar energy has not helped cut cost of products. More is need to make solar energy move efficient and affordable. Solar plants have proved to be great boon for villagers of Sunder bans who relied on kerosene wick lamps. Auroville, Pondicherry UT., moves ahead on the road to energy sufficiency by using non-conventional energy sources. Solar has entered the kitchen, lighting lamps, solar lighting systems have brightened up the gloomy winters of Himachal Pradesh’s Mayad Valley. Hills regions have brightened their homes with solar energy. They use it for cooking and for heating water.
Solar water heating system is used in Haryana’s private buildings. It is a more popular alternative with hotels, buildings, and industries than it is with individual consumers. It is a free service with no electrical connection or with little electricity consumption as a back up for heating. The world’s largest solar plant or solar electric plant as huge as 57 soccer fields is installing nowadays in the Murcia region of Spain. It will cost about US $ 65 million.21

Hydrogen Power
Iceland has moved one-step closer to its goal of using only renewable sources of energy by the year 2030 by inaugurating the world’s first hydrogen fuel station in the capital city of Reykjavík. This is major step toward a “hydrogen society.” Hydrogen will make a significant contribution to cleaner energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but it's not the whole answer. For transport, hydrogen has to become the principal fuel source, simply because the amount of CO2 we're putting out direct from burning fossil hydrocarbons in vehicles is way out of proportion. Hydrogen is the only non-fossil fuel available so far that can be carried on a vehicle.
Hydrogen isn't a principal energy source - it's only a storage or conversion mechanism, so it is only as renewable as the source used to produce the hydrogen. It can be produced from natural gas, which is a fossil hydrocarbon. The Americans are doing this because it makes the fossil hydrocarbons go a lot further. It can also be made using electricity - ideally generated using renewable energy - to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. And it can be made from biogas, coming from biomass such as sewage or abattoir waste. How useful hydrogen can be very much comes down to local conditions. In countries or communities with plenty of renewable energy to make hydrogen from, like the UK, the technology will have greater impact.22

Geothermal Power
Hot rocks underground heat water to produce steam. It gets through drill holes down to the hot region; stream comes up, is purified, and used to drive turbines, which drive electric generators. There may be natural “underground water” in the hot rocks anyway, or it may need to drill more holes and pump water down tot them. Geothermal energy can be captured from the heat stored beneath the earth’s surface or from the absorbed heat in the atmosphere and oceans. In the first instance, geothermal energy can be captured from naturally occurring underground steam and be used to produce electricity. In the second instance, heating and cooling can be achieved by taking advantage of the temperature differential between outside air and the ground or groundwater.
The geothermal energy is very important resource in volcanically active places such as Iceland and New Zealand. In some areas of the world, enough heat rise close to the surface f the earth to heat underground water into system, which can be tapped for use at steam-turbine plants. India’s first geothermal miner hydel power plant tapping energy from natural hot water springs would be soon installed in Tatapani village of chattisgarh. In a first of its kind venture, a one-megawatt thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plant is being established off the Tuticorin cost in Tamil Nadu.

Underground Power
Energy from abandoned coal mines to replace dangerous methane emissions. The clarification process, whereby plant material is environmental progressively converted to coal, generate power.23 The very viable and sustainable source of energy is coal bed methane gas. The CBM gas is available in each coal mines in the India. This is easy reachable source of energy.

Renewable energy is a key solution of global challenges such as energy security, climate changes and unemployment problem in the rural areas special agricultural societies. A world economy fully based on renewable energy will be environmental friendly, makes conflicts on fossil energy resources obsolete, will create long term economic stability everywhere, it will be an important stimulus to local and regional economic activities, in particular India like countries.
Yet, in a number of countries electricity availability has enabled so-called Infoshops to establish a technology-based information resource on matters of relevance for rural dwellers, from cost and availability of farming inputs such as seeds and fertilizers to directories of local veterinarians and animal-husbandry programs. For instance, a “Rural Information” program in Bangladesh provides communities with internet-based information on agriculture, health, education, law and human rights, appropriate technologies, disaster management and government services. “Infomediaries” or interpreters of digital content, and mobile-phone helplines use the comparably high mobile-phone penetration in rural Bangladesh, pioneered by Grameen Phone, and make information accessible even for the illiterate.

Strategies of Energy Security
A key challenge in the energy sector is to provide access to India’s vast rural population. Decentralized generation and distribution in rural areas has been delicensed under the Electricity Act 2003. The National Rural Electrification Policy calls for decentralized distributed generation to be based on conventional or non-conventional electricity generation, whichever is more suitable and economical. Renewable energy systems can be deployed even where grid connectivity exists, provided that there is unmet demand and they are found to be cost-effective. Those villages and hamlets that are not likely to receive grid connection are being provided clean energy through installation of biomass gasifiers, mini-hydel units or solar photovoltaic systems. Access has been provided to 6500 villages and hamlets through renewables. Apart from this, over 1.5 million home-lighting systems and solar lanterns have been provided in rural households. Focus is being made to provide solar lights to millions of rural households that still use kerosene, which entails a huge subsidy/under-recovery on its sale.

1. Productive-use of Electricity
Reaping the gains of globalization via electricity access requires additional investments in “productive uses” of electricity, defined as activities that put electricity to work for people’s welfare – either through income generation or by facilitating the provision of health and education services. Productive-use programs can help communities reap the gains of electricity access in three main ways:
● enabling development: When communities receive electricity, this does not immediately or directly translate into development. It depends on how power is used. The processing of agricultural goods or crafts for sale, using power to offer educational material or simply providing illumination for evening school are examples of developmental use of power. Of course, availability of power is essential to encourage more community participation through the use of e-government applications.
● promoting appreciation for and local ownership of electricity services and technology: Once individuals understand that electricity services lead to community improvements – providing a source of income, making routines easier – then it’s likely that individuals will work to protect electricity equipment from damage or theft. A sense of ownership of the technology is an essential component for maximizing a system’s lifetime.
● giving communities a means to pay for energy services: Productive-use activities may allow communities to generate income from their activities so that they can pay for electricity services – thus moving rural electricity access towards cost recovery. For communities of limited financial means, targeted and monitored subsidies may also be required so that service is provided regardless of the community’s ability to pay.
Experience to date has resulted in a number of lessons for project planners when designing electricity systems with productive uses in mind. Electrification schemes and productive-use efforts are more likely to succeed if communities have an adequate understanding rather than act as passive recipients. Project managers need to understand that successful introduction of productive-use programs is likely to improve sustainability of electrification programs. Likewise, it’s crucial that any programs be accompanied by community training on operation and maintenance as well as follow-up with providers.
When selecting productive-uses program, the decision process should review funds available and community capacities, and thus prioritize activities. This involves calculating the gains from various productive uses. Ultimately, of course, communities themselves should choose the most effective option to improve their quality of life. Local institutions are normally knowledgeable about the resources and needs of the nearby communities. Similarly, local NGOs generally have a solid network in the target community and can thus aid in dispelling doubt. Both foreign donors and relevant domestic government agencies must coordinate their efforts to tie in productive uses with community needs and abilities, and with existing efforts in agriculture, health or education.
Usually, the choice of technology for rural electrification – grid connection versus diesel, micro-hydro, wind or solar – is based on least-cost considerations. This may change when productive uses emerge. For instance, if an essential service for one community is investment in critical electricity-fed health equipment, then reliability rather than average cost of supply becomes a critical factor in choosing between technologies. Similarly, if a priority is small-scale tourism, then meeting peak demand during holiday seasons becomes crucial. Private investment remains an option to enable some forms of productive uses. However, the benefit of private capital must be weighed on a case-by-case basis against the potential pitfalls, including monopolies and higher long-run costs. Haryana and Punjab governments provide subsidy based solar water pump to their farmers. In Gujarat, kuchchh salt producers are using tiny windmills in water filling into salt farms from wells then diesel pump-sets.
Examples of successful rural electrification with productive-uses applications are encouraging. For instance, the Mexican mountain village of La Vainilla has used solar panel-based electrification to give its inhabitants light for work and study, combining access with investment in a small water-purification system that generates income through sales to a nearby hotel. If carried out sensibly, then electrification of poor, rural communities will ultimately mean more equitable distribution of the gains from globalization – and indeed enable inhabitants to participate in globalization through more effective marketing of products. The communities can also shape globalization by making their voices heard via modern communications applications in national or international decision-making processes.

Figure source: Centre for Science and Environment and Equity Watch
2. Sustainable Biofuel Development: policy-strategy
The uses of biofuels in different ways; to meet energy needs, challenges of sustainable development and mitigate the global warming, but every energy strategy will require trade-offs. Betting on a number of geographies and technologies will make things more complex, for example, but helps balance risk. Vertical integration, though both complex and costly, may be essential in helping to establish this young industry. Companies that want to play should try to get a head start on the difficult task of reducing the seemingly infinite number of options to a feasible set of solutions.
The long-term potential of biofuels is in the use of non-food feedstock that include agricultural, municipal, and forestry wastes as well as fast-growing, cellulose-rich energy crops such as switchgrass. It is expected that the combination of cellulosic biomass resources and “next-generation” biofuel conversion technologies—including ethanol production using enzymes and synthetic diesel production via gasification/Fischer-Tropsch synthesis—will compete with conventional gasoline and diesel fuel without subsidies in the medium term. The needs of policies to accelerate the development of biofuels, while maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks. These include:
• Strengthen the Market. Biofuel policies should focus on market development, based on sound fiscal incentives and support for private investment, infrastructure development, and the building of transportation fleets that are able to use the new fuels.
• Speed the Transition to Next-Generation Technologies. It is critical to expedite the transition to the next generation of biofuel feedstock and technologies, which will allow for dramatically increased production at lower cost, while minimizing environmental impacts.
• Protect the Resource Base. Maintaining soil productivity, water quality, and myriad other ecosystem services is essential. National and international environmental sustainability principles and certification systems are important for protecting resources as well as maintaining public trust in the merits of biofuels.
• Facilitate Sustainable International Biofuel Trade. Continued rapid growth of biofuels will require the development of a true international market in these fuels, unimpeded by the trade restrictions in place today. Freer movement of biofuels around the world should be coupled with social and environmental standards and a credible system to certify compliance.24

Billions of Dollars are pouring into biofuels. High fuel prices and generous regulatory support have given the industry healthy margins and relatively short investment payback times. Meanwhile, the triumphs of the first movers and dreams of future growth are enticing companies in industries from petroleum and agribusiness to biotechnology, chemicals, engineering, and financial services. And of course, the allure of a greener future has raised the expectations of investors and bystanders who hope that biofuels will help meet the sustainable energy needs while lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Biofuels have become a growth industry with worldwide production more than doubling in the last five years. The rapid expansion of ethanol production in the United States and biodiesel production (and to a lesser extent, biogas) in Germany and other countries in Western Europe has created a biofuels frenzy that has affected many countries, including Canada. Many measures have been used to stimulate production and consumption of biofuels, including preferential taxation, subsidies, import tariffs and consumption mandates.
Can biofuels deliver? The answer appears contingent on fuel prices as well as three other variables that directly influence the profitability and environmental impact of biofuels: the cost and availability of feedstock, government regulation, and conversion technologies. All are in flux, so an investment today is a bet on how these interrelated factors will evolve. Feedstock costs vary tremendously by region and could change significantly in the years ahead. Governments may alter the industry’s ground rules to match changing priorities in climate change, energy security, and economic development. The energy, cost, and carbon efficiency of various biofuels are already quite different and new conversion technologies could make them even more so—at different rates in different regions. Decisions about where to produce and distribute biofuels could have dramatic implications for the feasibility of the business. However, the biofuel industry is still in its infancy but evolving rapidly. Companies that hope to compete must devise their entry strategy now.25
Debates over the "net energy balance" of biofuels and gasoline -- the ratio between the energy they produce and the energy needed to produce them -- have raged for years. For now, corn-based ethanol appears to be favored over gasoline and biodiesel over petroleum diesel -- but not by much. Scientists at the Argonne National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have calculated that the net energy ratio of gasoline is 0.81, a result that implies an input larger than the output. Corn-based ethanol has a ratio that ranges between 1.25 and 1.35, which is better than breaking even. Petroleum diesel has an energy ratio of 0.83, compared with that of biodiesel made from soybean oil, which ranges from 1.93 to 3.21. (Biodiesel produced from other fats and oils, such as restaurant grease, may be more energy efficient.)
Similar results emerge when biofuels are compared with gasoline using other indices of environmental impact, such as greenhouse gas emissions. The full cycle of the production and use of corn-based ethanol releases less greenhouse gases than does that of gasoline, but only by 12 to 26 percent. The production and use of biodiesel emits 41 to 78 percent less such gases than do the production and use of petroleum-based diesel fuels.
Another point of comparison is greenhouse gas emissions per mile driven, which takes account of relative fuel efficiency. Using gasoline blends with 10 percent corn-based ethanol instead of pure gasoline lowers emissions by 2 percent. If the blend is 85 percent ethanol (which only flexible-fuel vehicles can run on), greenhouse gas emissions fall further: by 23 percent if the ethanol is corn-based and by 64 percent if it is cellulose-based. Likewise, diesel containing 2 percent biodiesel emits 1.6 percent less greenhouse gases than does petroleum diesel, whereas blends with 20 percent biodiesel emit 16 percent less, and pure biodiesel (also for use only in special vehicles) emits 78 percent less. On the other hand, biodiesel can increase emissions of nitrogen oxide, which contributes to air pollution. In short, the "green" virtues of ethanol and biodiesel are modest when these fuels are made from corn and soybeans, which are energy-intensive, highly polluting row crops.
The benefits of biofuels are greater when plants other than corn or oils from sources other than soybeans are used. Ethanol made entirely from cellulose (which is found in trees, grasses, and other plants) has an energy ratio between 5 and 6 and emits 82 to 85 percent less greenhouse gases than does gasoline. As corn grows scarcer and more expensive, many are betting that the ethanol industry will increasingly turn to grasses, trees, and residues from field crops, such as wheat and rice straw and cornstalks. Grasses and trees can be grown on land poorly suited to food crops or in climates hostile to corn and soybeans. Recent breakthroughs in enzyme and gasification technologies have made it easier to break down cellulose in woody plants and straw. Field experiments suggest that grassland perennials could become a promising source of biofuel in the future.
For now, however, the costs of harvesting, transporting, and converting such plant matters are high, which means that cellulose-based ethanol is not yet commercially viable when compared with the economies of scale of current corn-based production. Fueling an ethanol plant with switchgrass, a much-discussed alternative, would require delivering a semitrailer truckload of the grass every six minutes, 24 hours a day. The logistical difficulties and the costs of converting cellulose into fuel, combined with the subsidies and politics currently favoring the use of corn and soybeans, make it unrealistic to expect cellulose-based ethanol to become a solution within the next decade. Until it is, relying more on sugar cane to produce ethanol in tropical countries like India would be more efficient than using corn and would not involve using a staple food.
The future can be brighter if the right steps are taken now. Limiting our dependence on fossil fuels requires a comprehensive energy-conservation program. Rather than promoting more mandates, tax breaks, and subsidies for biofuels, governments should make a major commitment to substantially increasing energy efficiency in vehicles, homes, and factories; promoting alternative sources of energy, such as solar and wind power; and investing in research to improve agricultural productivity and raise the efficiency of fuels derived from cellulose. Washington's fixation on corn-based ethanol has distorted the national agenda and diverted its attention from developing a broad and balanced strategy.26


3. Common Existing Applications of Renewable Energy in Rural (Off-Grid) Areas 27
Energy Services Renewable Energy Applications Conventional Fuels
Cooking (homes, • biomass direct combustion (fuel wood, crop wastes, LPG, kerosene
commercial stoves forest wastes, dung, charcoal, and other forms)
and ovens) • biogas from household-scale digester
• solar cookers

Lighting and other small • hydropower (pico-scale, micro-scale, small-scale) candles, kerosene, batteries,
electric needs (homes, • biogas from household-scale digester central battery recharging,
schools, street lighting, • small-scale biomass gasifier with gas engine diesel generators
telecom, hand tools, • village-scale mini-grids and solar/wind hybrid systems
vaccine storage) • solar home systems

Process motive power • small hydro with electric motor diesel engines and generators
(small industry) • biomass gasification with gas engine
• biomass power generation and electric motor

Water pumping (agriculture • mechanical wind pumps diesel pumps
and drinking) • solar PV pumps

Heating and cooling (crop • biomass direct combustion LPG, kerosene, diesel generators
drying and other agricultural • biogas from small- and medium-scale digesters
processing, hot water) • solar crop dryers
• solar water heaters
• ice making for food preservation

4. Miscellaneous strategies for energy security are:
• Increased fuel efficiency through a cut in state subsidies on all petroleum products, except some household necessities such as kerosene and cooking gas which receive the up to 40% subsidy to benefit the poor.
• Shift to natural gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): India will be a major importer of natural gas and LNG over the next few decades. The cheapest way to supply India with gas would be through pipelines from Central Asia and the Middle East, through Pakistan, but due to tense relations with Pakistan the two countries have not been cooperating on energy schemes and such pipelines are politically infeasible. On the eastern coast, imports of small amount of natural gas from Bangladesh may be feasible. However, Bangladesh's internal party politics does not allow it to take a decision in favor of New Delhi. Consequently, India is focusing on costlier LNG imports especially from Oman and Qatar. This would require construction of LNG terminals which pose security risks and are attractive targets for terrorists.
• Increased domestic production: In the past five years the government introduced a new exploration licensing policy aimed to promote investment in the exploration and production of domestic oil and gas. It is premature to determine how much oil can be generated domestically and for how long, but privatization of the oil sector, removal of bureaucratic obstacles and improved business climate could improve India's energy security.
• Increased utilization of clean coal technology (CCT): The country is the third largest coal producer and holder of 7% of global reserves of coal. Coal provides 56% of India's commercial energy supply. Application of the coal gasification combined cycle process is an emerging technology for clean and efficient coal fueled generation.
• Shift to next generation fuels and increased use of renewable sources of energy: India is probably the only country in the world with a full-fledged ministry dedicated to the production of energy from renewable energy sources. The Indian government is promoting the use of ethanol made from sugar cane and bio-diesel extracted from oil-seed plants that are common in many parts of India, such as the Jetropha, Karanja and Mahua. Additionally, India is emerging as a growing market for solar, wind and hydroelectric power. According to a report by the American Wind Energy Association India currently ranks fifth in the global wind energy production.28
Although the world's energy resources are more than adequate to meet demand until 2030 and beyond, meeting it will depend on timely and targeted investment. Cumulative investment of some $16 trillion from 2003-2030 will be needed to meet the soaring demand. Developing countries, where production and demand are set to increase most, will require about half of global investment. But they will face the biggest challenge in raising finance, because their economies are smaller in relation to their needs and the investment risks are bigger. More vigorous government action could steer the world onto a markedly different energy path. Coupled with environmental and energy-security policies, faster deployment of energy-efficient technologies could considerably reduce energy demand. However, a truly sustainable energy system will require technological breakthroughs to drastically alter how we produce and use energy.29

The following measures may be important in the drafting of a strategy for energy security
1. Establish the regulation or legal enforcement on the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for new power plants that 5% of their generation capacity must be generated by renewable energy such as solar, wind or biomass.
2. Devise incentive measures encouraging purchase of power generated by renewable energy, for example, provision of tax credit, privilege, and subsidies from the Energy Conservation Promotion Fund.
3. Support research and development on renewable energy of which Thailand has high potential, such as solar, micro-hydropower, wind and biomass (agricultural wastes and municipal wastes).
4. Encourage participation and partnership of the local communities in renewable energy fueled power plants.
Every time people leave a light on or forget to switch our TV or video off standby, carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere from power stations around the world, causing untold damage to the environment. While renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaics, hydro and wind power are the long-term solution to our energy crisis, energy efficiency is instrumental to every household in its bid to reduce energy consumption, save money and help the environment.
Massive investment is required in renewable energy; much as though nuclear energy and carbon sequestration would help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, both are very expensive and neither is a long term answer. The solution must be to move to energy sources that are truly sustainable and only renewables can make this claim. The world needs mixed energy generation of wave, tidal, wind, photovoltaic and biomass. All of these technologies are truly sustainable and once set up will provide permanent clean energy. The point being that the massive amounts of money that would be needed to be spent on nuclear and carbon sequestration should all be pumped into renewables as soon as possible.
Hydrogen is likely to be the key liquid energy carrier in the future and thus Governments and the oil industry should be investing in setting up a hydrogen infrastructure and systems to convert fossil fuels into hydrogen. It is imperative that the oil companies are heavily involved in the development of renewables and the hydrogen economy due to their expertise in mass energy delivery, their huge resources and to enable them to move into other markets as oil is used more slowly.
To creating a sustainable energy future for humanity during the coming decades, it will be necessary: to implement greatly-improved technologies for harnessing the fossil and nuclear fuels, to ensure that their use, if continued, creates much lower environmental and social impact; to develop and deploy the renewable energy sources on a much wider scale; and to make major improvements in the efficiency of energy conversion, distribution and use.

Conclusion
India possesses great biomass energy potential and opportunities are open. Indian government has laid a strong foundation and infrastructures for supporting and promoting the use of renewable energy and energy conservation especially in the form of necessary legislations and support funds. However, despite several financial incentives, the dissemination rate of the use of biomass energy technologies is still unsatisfactory due to institutional, policy, technical, financial and information barriers. Efforts have been made to try to remove some barriers such as government organization reform aiming to improve line of commands and coordination among organizations in the energy sector.
More emphasis has been given to the promotion of renewable energy technologies particularly biomass energy. It is believed that some barriers have partially been understood and some are not known at all. It is recommended that more systematic and comprehensive study approaches involved extensive participation of stakeholders are needed to fully address barriers and set up effective measures to remove them. Although energy policies adopted by the government are in the right direction, the pace of implementation is slow. A clear policy and a strong signal from the government are needed to disseminate information through public campaign, and encourage discussion and debate among various stakeholders so as to build a strong foundation and public confidence on renewable energy technologies.
These policies and signals must be clear-and strong enough for the private sectors to be confident and actively participate in the renewable energy projects. Restructuring and deregulation should ensure a real competitiveness in the energy market. There are many more efficient and effective means for reducing emissions from transport that do not present significant risks to people and the environment. Alternatives include reducing the weight of vehicles and the size of engines, increasing the efficiency and fuel economy of vehicles, increasing fuel prices, improved urban planning to encourage walking, cycling, and the use of public transport.

References:
1. Jonas Gahr Støre: “The Geopolitics of Energy Security: The Rise of Asia”, IDSA and PRIO, 12/2006, New Delhi
2. UNDPINDIA (2009: Fact Sheet): “Access to Clean Energy”, March 2009
3. Yale Global online, 14 August 2008
4. http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/enviro/energy-energie/energy_security-securite_energitique.aspx?
5. http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/seta/2009/08/06/stories/2009080650141300.htm
6. The German News (2006): “renewable potential”, the German embassy; New Delhi, Jan-Feb 2006
7. Asia-Pacific Perspective Japan+ (2003): “sustainable sources”, July2003
8. Ashok Khosla: “Developing Countries should lead on Renewables”, Indian NGO: Development
Alternatives.
9. http://www.strategicforesight.com/exploring.htm
10. http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/eneene/renren/aboaprren-eng.php
11. Steve Sawyer: “Efficiency and renewable technologies can deliver”, Greenpeace: climate policy:
2009
12. Business Line, 05 July 2009
13. Global Energy Network Institute (2006): “Overview of Renewable Energy Potential of India”,
October 2006
14. Jonston, Josee; Gismondi, Michael & Goodman, James (2006): Nature’s Revenge: Reclaiming
Sustainability in an Age of Corporate Globalisation, p80
15. canada.com/online news/Canada Biofuel potential Market/Oct 2008
16. Murthy, D B N (2005): “Awareness and protection: energy, non-conventional energy”, pp109- 117
17. Indian Council for Sustainable Development (ICSD)(2008): Ajit Kumar Gupta Ex-adviser,
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, Newsletter, December 2008: V1
18. Green Paper Prepared for the Alberta Institute of Agrologists Presented at the Annual Conference
of Alberta Institute of Agrologists Banff, Alberta on March 28, 2007 by Kurt K. Klein and Danny
G. LeRoy, Department of Economics, University of Lethbridge, Alberta.
19. Jakarta Post, August 22, 2008
20. Tehelka Magazine (2008: 5(30), Aug 02, 2008:34-36
21. The Hindu (June2007): “Villages set to draw tidal energy in Sandarbans”, the Union Ministry of
Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) and the West Bengal Government, June 2007 &
Times of India (2008): Anand Mahindra: “Harvest the Sun, we must urgently focus on solar
energy”, 23 August 2008.
22. The BBC (2004) Alex Kirby: “Hydrogen - significant, but not the whole answer”, siGEN Ltd
(2004) Dave McGrath: “Energy: Meeting soaring demand”; looks at the challenge of providing the
world with energy without damaging the environment, “as part of Planet under Pressure”, a BBC
series on environmental issues, 27 November 2004.
23. Murthy, D B N (2005): “Awareness and protection: energy, non-conventional energy”, pp109- 117
24. WWI (2006: report): “Biofuels Poised to Displace Oil”, World Watch Institute on June 7, 2006
25. The McKinsey Quarterly, 7 June 2007
26. Foreign Affairs (2007): “the U.S. Energy Department announced (March2007) that it would invest
up to $385 million in six biorefineries designed to convert cellulose into ethanol”, 24 April 2007
27. Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) (2007): “Renewables 2007:
Global Status Report”, available on www.ren21.net
28. Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS) (2004): “India’s Energy Security Challenge”,
21 January 2004
29. International Energy Agency (IEA) (Fatih Barol): “Reserves won't run out - but they need
investment”.
(Suwa Lal Jangu: Research Scholar, Political Science & Kausik Ghosh: M A (Final Year) Student, Geography, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, contact: suwalaljangu@gmail.com & Kausik.bhu@gmail.com)