Energy is recognised as the most crucial component of human progress and a major determinant of the sustained growth of any country. The traditional sources cast a menacing shadow over society as a whole, environmental values, present and future global safety, and health. As a result, the Indian electricity industry urgently needs to encourage renewable energy.

The term "renewable energy" refers to energy that is obtained from sources that naturally replenish themselves over time, such as sunshine, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. With the least amount of pollutants or carbon emissions, it is the cleanest form of energy. Thus, the need for coal and other fossil fuels is lessened. India can mitigate global warming and improve air quality with the growth of renewable energy.

The market for renewable energy is rising as technological advancements drive down costs and begin to fulfil the promise of a clean energy future. Record-breaking American solar and wind energy production is being incorporated into the national electrical system without sacrificing reliability.

Current Scenario of Renewable Energy in India:

The capacity for electricity generation in India has been particularly impacted by the sector's growth throughout the years. This contributes to the government's objective for sustainable development while playing a crucial role in supplying the country with electricity. the launch of a massive grid-connected rooftop solar programme.

The organisation of RE-Invest 2015:

A global investors' meet, the allocation of Rs. 38,000 crore (Euros 4 billion) for a Green Energy Corridor, the eight-fold increase in the clean environment cess from Rs. 50 per tonne to Rs. 400 per tonne (Euro 0.62 to Euros 5 per tonne), and the solar pump scheme with a goal of incentivizing the use of solar energy.

How Does it Work: Renewable energy

Renewable energy, often known as clean energy, is derived from renewable natural resources or processes. For instance, even if their availability is dependent on the time and weather, sunlight and wind continue to shine and blow.

While using the power of nature has long been used for transportation, lighting, heating, and other purposes, renewable energy is frequently considered of as a relatively recent technology. Wind has been used to propel ships across the oceans and power grain mills. The light warmed the day and assisted in starting fires that lasted into the evening. However, during the last 500 years or more, people have become more and more reliant on dirtier, more affordable energy sources like coal and fracked gas.

Because of new, less expensive techniques for capturing and storing wind and solar energy, renewable energy sources currently make up more than 12% of the country's energy production. In both big and small scales, from enormous offshore wind farms to rooftop solar panels on homes that can sell electricity back to the grid, the usage of renewable energy is increasing. Whole rural communities in Alaska, Kansas, and Missouri depend on renewable energy for lighting and heating.

As the usage of renewable energy rises, one important goal will be to upgrade the American power system, making it smarter, more secure, and more integrated across regions.

Dirty energy
Oil, gas, and coal are examples of fossil fuels that are considered nonrenewable or "dirty" energy.There are a finite number of nonrenewable energy sources. When we fill up at the pump, we are utilising a limited resource that has been refined from ancient crude oil.

Some nations have a larger availability of non-renewable energy sources than others since these resources are frequently found in specific areas of the planet. On the other hand, everyone has access to sunshine and wind. Promoting renewable energy may also improve national security since it lessens a country's reliance on imports from nations with vast fossil fuel resources.

Numerous non-renewable energy sources might be dangerous to both the environment and human health. For instance, fracking technologies can cause earthquakes and water pollution, coal power plants damage the air, and oil production may include strip-mining Canada's boreal forest.

Types of Renewable Energy Sources:

• Solar Energy
  For thousands of years, people have used sun energy to dry food, stay warm, and cultivate crops. "More energy from the sun falls on the earth in one hour than is used by everyone in the globe in one year," claims the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Today, we utilise the sun's rays in a variety of ways, including heating our buildings, heating our water, and powering our gadgets.
  
  Silicon or other elements are used to create solar, or photovoltaic (PV), cells, which convert sunlight directly into electricity. Using rooftop solar panels or neighborhood-wide community projects, distributed solar systems produce electricity close to where residences and businesses are located. Solar farms, which use mirrors to focus sunlight across acres of solar cells, may produce enough electricity to power thousands of homes. Waterbodies that are not environmentally sensitive can be used for floating solar farms, sometimes known as "floatovoltaics."
  
  Nearly 3% of the nation's electricity is generated by solar energy (some sources estimate it will reach nearly 4 percent in 2022). However, solar power accounted for 46% of all new generating capacity in 2021.
  
  As long as they are installed appropriately, most solar panels have no environmental impact beyond the manufacturing process and don't emit any air pollutants or greenhouse gases.
   
• Wind Energy
  From traditional windmills, we've come a long way. Turbines that are nearly as broad in diameter and as tall as skyscrapers are now standing guard all over the planet. Turbine blades are turned by wind energy, which feeds an electric generator and generates electricity.
  
  One of the least expensive energy sources in the US is wind, which generates 9.2% of the nation's electricity. Although wind turbines can be installed anywhere with strong wind speeds, such as on hilltops and open plains, or even offshore in open ocean, the top wind power states include California, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
   

Additional Renewable Energy Sources:

• Water-based electricity
  Although wind energy is anticipated to overtake hydropower as the country's leading renewable energy source in the near future. Hydropower uses water to generate electricity by turning the turbine blades of a generator, often fast-moving water in a large river or quickly falling water from a high point.
  
  Mega-dams, often known as huge hydropower facilities, are frequently regarded as nonrenewable energy sources both domestically and outside. Mega-dams alter and reduce natural flows, limiting access for populations of animals and people who depend on such rivers. Carefully maintained small hydroelectric facilities, with installed capacities under around 40 megawatts, tend not to harm the environment as much because they only divert a portion of the flow.
   
• Biomass Energy
  Crops, scrap wood, and trees all include biomass, which is organic material derived from plants and animals. Burning biomass releases chemical energy as heat, which can be used to power a steam turbine to produce electricity.
  
  For the purpose of generating power, biomass is frequently misrepresented as a clean, renewable fuel and a more environmentally friendly option than coal and other fossil fuels. Recent research reveals that many biomass types, particularly those derived from forests, emit more carbon dioxide than fossil fuels. Additionally, there are negative effects on biodiversity. However, in the correct situations, some types of biomass energy might be a low-carbon choice. An example of a low-carbon energy source is sawdust and chips from sawmills, which would otherwise quickly disintegrate and release carbon.
   
• Geothermal Energy
  You've used geothermal energy if you've ever indulged in a hot springs soak. Due to the slow radioactive particle disintegration in the planet's core, the temperature of the earth is about equivalent to that of the sun's surface. Deep well drilling raises extremely hot subsurface water as a hydrothermal resource to the surface, where it is pumped via a turbine to generate energy. If they recycle the water and steam they utilise, geothermal facilities often have low emissions. Although there are ways to build geothermal plants without using subsurface reservoirs, there are worries that doing so could make seismic activity more likely in places that are already deemed to be geological hot spots.
   
• Ocean
  Although tidal and wave energy are still in their infancy, the moon's gravity will always govern the ocean, making it an appealing option to capture its power. Tidal barrages, which function much like dams and are situated in ocean straits or lagoons, are one type of tidal energy technique that may affect animals. Similar to tidal power, wave power is generated by devices anchored to the ocean floor or dam-like structures that are located at or near the water's surface.

Renewable Energy In Home

Solar Energy
Using PV cell panels or passive solar home architecture, we may use the sun's rays to power the entire house on a smaller scale.Homes that use passive solar energy are built to let the sun in through south-facing windows and to keep the warmth inside with the help of heat-storing materials like concrete, bricks, and tiles.

Some solar-powered homes produce more electricity than they need, enabling the owner to sell the extra to the grid. Batteries are another viable option for economically storing extra solar power so that it can be used at night. Scientists are hard at work developing new innovations like solar windows and roof shingles that combine form and function.

Geothermal Heat Pumps
The coils at the back of your refrigerator are a miniature heat pump that remove heat from the interior to keep food fresh and cool. Geothermal technology is a novel approach to this well-known operation.The earth's consistent temperature (a few feet below the surface) is used in homes by geothermal or geoexchange pumps to heat water and cool buildings throughout the winter and summer, respectively.

Although installing geothermal systems might be expensive at first, they often pay for themselves within 5 to 10 years. They also operate more quietly, require less maintenance, and have a longer lifespan than conventional air conditioners.

Small Wind Systems
A wind farm in your yard? Small wind turbines are frequently used by ranchers, cell phone businesses, and even boats. Although some do-it-yourselfers install turbines themselves, dealers now assist homeowners with the installation, maintenance, and site preparation of wind turbines.

Selling The Energy You Generate
Homes powered by wind and solar energy can function independently or can be connected to the wider electrical grid, depending on the energy supplier. Most electric utilities allow homes to use a practise known as net metering, in which they only pay the difference between the electricity they generate and use from the grid. Your provider might pay you the retail amount for the excess electricity if you generate more than you consume.