Energy is derived from non-renewable (conventional) and renewable (non-conventional) resources and the former are in the process of depletion. These are fossil fuels — oil, coal and natural gas. It took millions of years to build up these resources. Renewable resources are solar energy, wind energy, water energy and biomass.
Approximately 80% of the world’s energy is produced by fossil fuels. However, in France, the French Atomic Energy Commission established nuclear reactors which produce enough energy to meet 70% of the country’s requirement.
World demand for oil (according to UN reports) rose from 436 million tonnes in 1960 to 2189 million tonnes in 1970 and to 3200 million tonnes in 1999. The corresponding figures for coal are 1043, 1635 and 2146 and for natural gas, the figures are 187, 1022 and 2301. The demand will continue to grow. Of the developing countries, China has the highest per capita consumption of energy. For India, per capita consumption is lower than that of China.
It may be mentioned that consumption figures represent commercial energy and do not take into account the non-commercial energy used by developing countries where poor people use wood that is acquired by gathering without any payment.
Among non-conventional resources, hydropower is the largest. Hydropower projects are in operation both in developed and developing countries — notable among the latter are China, India and Brazil. Hydropower potential is huge and at present only 15 per cent of the potential in the developing world is being utilised. Wind power has also a great potential Windmills and sails have been in use since ancient times.
It is a fast-growing resource. In the 1980s, wind energy generation of the world was 10 megawatts. In the year 2000, it was 14000 megawatts. Green Piece International estimates that if the present trend continues wind power could supply 10% of the world’s electricity by 2020.
The use of solar energy is through photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic news reported that the world’s photovoltaic production climbed from 0.1 megawatts to 200 megawatts in 1999. The biomass resources are various types of cultivated or uncultivated vegetation. Wood forms the chief resource and is the primary fuel for the people in Africa and Asia. Excessive use of wood has led to the depletion of forests.
Coal, oil, gas and water constitute the main sources of energy in India. The share of various energy sources in the commercial consumption of energy is mostly from coal (56%) and petroleum (32%), the other sources being nuclear natural gas and water. Apart from commercial energy, a large amount of traditional energy sources in the form of fuelwood, agriculture waste and animal residue are used.
Commercial energy consumption has grown from 130.7 MTOE (million tonnes of oil equivalent) in 1991-92 to 176.08 MTOE in 1997-98. The main drivers of this increase are the accompanying structural change of economic growth and a rise in population together with rapid urbanisation.
In particular between 1970-71 and 1994-95, the annual consumption of electricity per household went-up from 7 kWh to 53 kWh; of kerosene from 6.6 kg to 9.9 kg and of cooking gas from 0.33 kg to 3.8 kg. There is, however, a marked disparity in the level of energy and type of fuel consumed in rural and urban areas.
In the last paragraph, the author has provided the analysis concerning the annual consumption of some sources of energy to illustrate
Energy is derived from non-renewable (conventional) and renewable (non-conventional) resources and the former are in the process of depletion. These are fossil fuels — oil, coal and natural gas. It took millions of years to build up these resources. Renewable resources are solar energy, wind energy, water energy and biomass.
Approximately 80% of the world’s energy is produced by fossil fuels. However, in France, the French Atomic Energy Commission established nuclear reactors which produce enough energy to meet 70% of the country’s requirement.
World demand for oil (according to UN reports) rose from 436 million tonnes in 1960 to 2189 million tonnes in 1970 and to 3200 million tonnes in 1999. The corresponding figures for coal are 1043, 1635 and 2146 and for natural gas, the figures are 187, 1022 and 2301. The demand will continue to grow. Of the developing countries, China has the highest per capita consumption of energy. For India, per capita consumption is lower than that of China.
It may be mentioned that consumption figures represent commercial energy and do not take into account the non-commercial energy used by developing countries where poor people use wood that is acquired by gathering without any payment.
Among non-conventional resources, hydropower is the largest. Hydropower projects are in operation both in developed and developing countries — notable among the latter are China, India and Brazil. Hydropower potential is huge and at present only 15 per cent of the potential in the developing world is being utilised. Wind power has also a great potential Windmills and sails have been in use since ancient times.
It is a fast-growing resource. In the 1980s, wind energy generation of the world was 10 megawatts. In the year 2000, it was 14000 megawatts. Green Piece International estimates that if the present trend continues wind power could supply 10% of the world’s electricity by 2020.
The use of solar energy is through photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic news reported that the world’s photovoltaic production climbed from 0.1 megawatts to 200 megawatts in 1999. The biomass resources are various types of cultivated or uncultivated vegetation. Wood forms the chief resource and is the primary fuel for the people in Africa and Asia. Excessive use of wood has led to the depletion of forests.
Coal, oil, gas and water constitute the main sources of energy in India. The share of various energy sources in the commercial consumption of energy is mostly from coal (56%) and petroleum (32%), the other sources being nuclear natural gas and water. Apart from commercial energy, a large amount of traditional energy sources in the form of fuelwood, agriculture waste and animal residue are used.
Commercial energy consumption has grown from 130.7 MTOE (million tonnes of oil equivalent) in 1991-92 to 176.08 MTOE in 1997-98. The main drivers of this increase are the accompanying structural change of economic growth and a rise in population together with rapid urbanisation.
In particular between 1970-71 and 1994-95, the annual consumption of electricity per household went-up from 7 kWh to 53 kWh; of kerosene from 6.6 kg to 9.9 kg and of cooking gas from 0.33 kg to 3.8 kg. There is, however, a marked disparity in the level of energy and type of fuel consumed in rural and urban areas.
In the last paragraph, the author has provided the analysis concerning the annual consumption of some sources of energy to illustrate
Option 1 -
The growing need of energy in India
Option 2 -
Increase in the values of non-renewable resources
Option 3 -
The difference in urban and rural consumption of energy
Option 4 -
The disparity between consumption of different resources
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1 Answer
-
Correct Option - 1
Detailed Solution:It is quite evident that the author is illustrating that the consumption of a few resources has increased as people are consuming more resources now and there could be a need for more in future.
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