08-17-2017, 12:08 AM
NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY RESOURCES
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ABSTRACT
Energy is a critical component in the development of any country and more so in the
context of the developing countries. Rapid industrialization is very often hampered due to
inadequate energy availability. Communications, health, shelter and other basic needs of the
society are also very much restrained by inadequate availability of energy at several phases and
sometimes it to such an extent that it even brings the whole process of planning in that sector to
a stand still. Conventional Hydro Power and Thermal Energy (from coal) had played a very
important role in the industrial development. However, the oil crisis starting from 1973 had
brought to focus that renewable energy sources have a very important role to play since the price
of a non-renewable source could be changed often adversely to the developmental interests of the
poorer countries.Often the technologies relating to the other sources of energy are not so well
developed and fine-tuned to have a high degree of efficiency in utilization.
BIOELECTRICITY
Electricity is the key to economic development for any country. The conventional fossil
fuel resources for power generation are fast depleting and there is a growing concern over the
environmental degradation caused by conventional power plants. Against such implications,
power generation from non-conventional resources assumes greater significance. Among the
various renewable energy sources, biomass conversion technologies appear to be one of the best
suited for conversion to shaft power/electricity.
SOLAR ENERGY
It is radiation from the Sun capable of producing heat, causing chemical reactions or
generating electricity. The Sun is an extremely powerful energy source and solar radiation is by
far the largest source of energy received by the Earth, but its intensity at the Earth's surface is
actually quite low. This is partly because the Earth's atmosphere and its clouds absorb or scatter
as much as 54 percent of all incoming sunlight. Despite this, in the 20th century solar energy
became increasingly attractive as an energy source owing to its inexhaustible supply and its
nonpolluting character, which are in stark contrast to such fossil-fuel sources as coal, oil, and
natural gas.
Satellite Solar-Power Systems
The earth satellite solar-power system (SSPS) is based on technological advances
stemming from the space program. The concept involves the placement of earth satellites that
would function as solar energy collecting stations in geostationary or synchronous orbits around
the earth. Such orbits would be at an altitude of about 22,300mi (36,000 km) and would be
equational, i.e., parallel to earth s equational plane. The satellites would have large collectors of
photo voltaic arrays. They would also have conversion systems that would convert the electric
power generated by the arrays into power at microwave frequencies. A large transmitting
antenna on each satellite would beam the microwave energy from its fixed position relative to
the earth to a receiving station on the surface of the earth. That station would have a large
receiving antenna that would reconvert the microwave power into ac electric power and feed into
a conventional power transmission grid. The satellites, being so high above the earth, would be
in sunlight most of the day, and no electric energy storage would be needed.