FUNDAMENTAL OF POWER PLANT 31.4 Energy
Energy is the capacity for doing work, generating heat, and emitting light. The equation for work
is the force, which is the mass time the gravity times the distance.
Heat is the ability to change the temperature of an object or phase of a substance. For example,
heat changes a solid into a liquid or a liquid into a vapor. Heat is part of the definition of energy.
Another part of the definition of energy is radiation, which is the light and energy emitted in the
form of waves traveling at the speed of light.
Energy is measured in units of calorie, quad, and joule. A kilocalorie is the amount of energy or
heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water from 14.5°C to 15.5°C. The quad unit is
used to measure energy needed for big countries. The final measurement of energy is joules.
Energy is an essential input for economic development and improving quality of life. India’s per
capita consumption of Commercial Energy (viz., coal, petroleum and electricity) is only one-eighth of
the Global Average and will increase with growth in Gross Domestic Production (GDP) and improve-
ment in standard of living.
Commercial Energy accounts for a little over half of the total energy used in the Country, the rest
coming from non-commercial resources like cow-dung, fuel wood and agricultural waste. Though the
share of these non-commercial sources has been coming down, consumption has increased almost dou-
ble since 1953.
These renewable, non-commercial sources have been used extensively for hundreds of years but
in a primitive and ineffective way. Indiscriminate use of non-commercial energy sources is leading to an
energy crisis in the rural areas. Seventh Plan laid emphasis on the development and accelerated utilisa-
tion of renewable energy sources in rural and urban areas. A major Policy of the Government is directed
towards increasing the use of coal in household and of electricity in transport sector in order to reduce
dependence on oil, which is becoming scarce gradually.
The Government has formulated an energy policy with objectives of ensuring adequate energy
supply at minimum cost, achieving self-sufficiency in energy supplies and protecting environment from
adverse impact of utilising energy resources in an injudicious manner. Main elements of the policy are:
- Accelerated exploitation of domestic conventional energy resources-oil, coal, hydro and nu-
clear power; - Intensification of exploration to increase indigenous production of oil and gas;
- Management of demand for oil and other forms of energy;
- Energy conservation and management;
- Optimisation of utilisation of existing capacity in the country;
- Development and exploitation of renewable sources of energy to meet energy requirements
of rural communities; - Intensification of research and development activities in new and renewable energy sources;
and - Organisation of training far personnel engaged at various levels in the energy sector.
Development of conventional forms of energy for meeting the growing energy needs of the
society at a reasonable cost is the responsibility of Government viz., Department of Power, Coal and