Sources of Energy and Classification

Energy is an essential input for economic development and improving the quality of life. It is very difficult to imagine modern living without the use of energy resources.

Day by day the consumption of energy has been increasing. It is available in various forms in India. There are several sources of energy. They are classified in different ways. One way is to distinguish between commercial and non-commercial sources of energy.

In rural India even today a large number of people use human labour or man power, animal power, animal refuge, farm or crop residue as easily available and relatively inexpensive sources of energy. As against this, the sources of energy used in urban areas are commercial in nature. They may include coal, petroleum, natural gas, cooking gas and electricity.

But the scenario in rural areas has been changing for quite sometime. Another classification of sources of energy is based on their longevity. For instance mineral resources such as coal, petroleum, natural gas and radioactive minerals are all non-renewable or exhaustible resources. On the other hand running water, the sun, wind, tides, hot springs and biomass are all inexhaustible or renewable sources of energy. They are also pollution free.

Mineral sources of energy include coal, petroleum and natural gas. These mineral sources of energy represent nothing but the stored energy of the sun. Hence, they are also called fossil fuels. Then there are radioactive or atomic minerals. They all cause pollution.

Non-mineral sources of energy include running water, sun, wind, tides and hot springs. The power derived from these is pollution free.

Yet another classification of energy is based on conventional and non-conventional sources. The former includes coal, petroleum, natural gas and running water. The non-conventional sources of energy include sun, wind, tides, hot springs and biomass.

Summary

• Fuel wood, animal waste and crop residue are traditional or non-commercial sources of energy. They still meet the energy demand in rural areas to a considerable extent.
• Coal, petroleum, natural gas, water falling from a height and uranium and thorium are the conventional sources of energy.
• The Sun, wind, bio-mass, tides and hot springs are the non-conventional sources of energy. They are still in the initial stage of experimentation for want of appropriate and viable technology.
• They are important because they are renewable and pollution free sources of energy.