NON-CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY AND THEIR EFFECTS ON DEVELOPMENT OF HYDRO POWER

Abstract

Until recently little thought was given, even in engineer-ing circles, to the rapidity with which we are exhausting our limited energy resources. Although warning has been sounded by a few far sighted individuals, little attention was paid to them until the Middle East oil embargo, striking like a clap of thunder, awakened the world to the impending danger. At present bulk (75 percent) of energy is derived from oil and natural gas ( particularly in U.S.A.). Oil and natural gas are being depleted at an alarming rate and the demand for energy consump-tion is on the increase. Also the rise of public concern with environmental quality will handicap development of future energy supplies. In response to this crisis most of the affected coun-tries started developing alternate energy sources. Among these alternate sources, non conventional sources are solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy and tidal energy etc. Before describing some of the non-conventional sources of energy a brief review of the origin a* energy and its forms in the universe is made in the dissertation. It is essential to know the overall picture of the flow of energy and the energy balance of earth from which some energy is transformed in to suitable form of energy for the use of mankind. Therefore this aspect of energy is also included. Non-conventional energy sources were described giving their potential and sites in India as well as in rest of the world. Power projects which are under design/investigation 2 stage for utilization of solar energy are also briefed including the probable cost of power generation. Most of these sources are of low intensity and inter-mittent and variable in its availability. Therefore for obtain-ing desirable power output from these sources an energy storage system is required. Energy storage systems including hydrogen energy storage system are described. Due to development of the3e sources, in future, their probable effects on conventional hydro power plant are also described in the end.