Natural Resources and

Sustainable
Development
Unit 2
 WIND ENERGY
• The high speed winds have a lot of energy in them as kinetic energy due
to their motion. The wind energy is harnessed by making use of wind
mills. The blades of the wind mill keep on rotating continuously due to
the force of the striking wind. The rotational motion of the blades drives a
number of machines like water pumps, flour mills and electric generators.
• A large number of wind mills are installed in clusters called wind farms,
which feed power to the utility grid and produce a large amount of
electricity. These farms are ideally located in coastal regions, open
grasslands or hilly regions, particularly mountain passes and ridges where
the winds are strong and steady. The minimum wind speed required for
satisfactory working of a wind generator is 15 km/hr.
• The wind power potential of our country is estimated to be about 20,000
MW, while at present we are generating about 1020 MW. The largest
wind farm of our country is near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu generating
380 MW electricity.
• What is Wind Energy?
• Wind energy is the process of converting the kinetic energy of wind into
electrical energy using wind turbines. Wind is caused by the uneven
heating of the Earth's surface by the sun, which creates air movement as
cooler air replaces warmer rising air. This movement of air, or wind,
contains energy that can be captured and converted into electricity.
• How Wind Energy Works
[Link] Turbines:
1. Structure: A wind turbine consists of large blades attached to a rotor, which is
connected to a shaft. The shaft is linked to a generator inside the turbine.
2. Function: As wind blows, it causes the blades of the turbine to spin. The rotation
of the blades turns the rotor, which then spins the shaft connected to the
generator. The generator converts this rotational energy into electrical energy.
•Energy Conversion and Grid Integration: The electricity generated by
wind turbines is usually in the form of alternating current (AC). It is then sent
to a transformer, where it is converted to the appropriate voltage for
distribution through the power grid.
•Wind Farms:
•Onshore Wind Farms: Located on land, these are the most common type
of wind farms. They are typically found in open plains, hilltops, and coastal
areas where wind speeds are higher and more consistent.
•Offshore Wind Farms: These are built in bodies of water, usually on the
continental shelf. Offshore wind farms benefit from stronger and more
consistent winds, but they are more expensive to build and maintain.
• Advantages of Wind Energy
[Link] and Sustainable: Wind energy is a renewable resource,
meaning it will not run out as long as the sun shines and the wind
blows. It is sustainable and can provide energy indefinitely.
[Link] Environmental Impact: Wind energy produces no greenhouse
gas emissions during operation, making it a clean alternative to fossil
fuels. It also requires no water for cooling, unlike thermal power
plants.
[Link]-Effective: The cost of wind energy has decreased significantly
over the past few decades due to technological advancements and
economies of scale. In many regions, it is now one of the cheapest
forms of new electricity generation.
• CHALLENGES OF WIND ENERGY
[Link]: Wind is not constant, and wind energy generation depends on wind
speed, which can fluctuate daily and seasonally. This intermittency requires backup
power sources or energy storage solutions to ensure a stable electricity supply.
[Link]-Specific: Wind resources are not evenly distributed globally. Some areas have
abundant wind resources, while others have little to no wind. This can limit the
feasibility of wind energy in certain regions.
[Link] on Wildlife: Wind turbines can pose a threat to birds and bats, which may
collide with the blades. However, ongoing research and improved turbine designs are
helping to mitigate this impact.
[Link] and Noise Impact: Some people find wind turbines to be visually intrusive or
noisy, leading to opposition in certain communities. However, proper site selection
and community engagement can help address these concerns.
[Link] Capital Costs: Although wind energy is cost-effective in the long run, the initial
capital costs for building wind farms and the associated infrastructure can be high.
However, these costs are decreasing over time.
 HYDROPOWER
• The water flowing in a river is collected by constructing a big
dam where the water is stored and allowed to fall from a
height. The blades of the turbine located at the bottom of the
dam move with the fast moving water which in turn rotate the
generator and produces electricity. We can also construct mini
or micro hydel power plants on the rivers in hilly regions for
harnessing the hydro energy on a small scale, but the minimum
height of the water falls should be 10 metres.
• The hydropower potential of India is estimated to be about 4 ×
1011 KW-hours. Till now we have utilized only a little more than
11% of this potential.
• Hydropower does not cause any pollution, it is renewable and
normally the hydro power projects are multi-purpose projects
helping in controlling floods, used for irrigation, navigation etc.
However, big dams are often associated with a number of
environmental impacts.
• What is Hydropower?
• Hydropower is the process of generating electricity by using the energy of flowing
or falling water. The concept relies on converting kinetic energy from water
movement into mechanical energy, and then into electrical energy through
turbines and generators.
• How Hydropower Works
[Link] Flow: Water is directed towards turbines either by gravity (falling water in
dams) or by the natural flow of a river.
[Link]: As water flows over the turbine blades, it causes the turbine to spin. The
turbine is connected to a shaft that drives a generator.
[Link]: The spinning turbine turns the generator’s rotor, which consists of
magnets. The rotation of the rotor within the stator (a coil of wire) induces an
electric current, thereby generating electricity.
[Link]: The electricity generated is sent to a transformer, which steps up
the voltage for transmission over power lines to homes and businesses.
• Advantages of Hydropower
[Link] and Sustainable: Hydropower is a renewable energy source, as it relies
on the natural water cycle, which is continuously replenished by precipitation.
[Link] Operating Costs: Once a hydropower plant is built, the operating and
maintenance costs are relatively low compared to other forms of electricity
generation.
[Link] and Consistent: Hydropower plants can provide a consistent and reliable
supply of electricity, especially those with large reservoirs that can store water for
use during periods of low rainfall.
[Link] Power Generation: Hydropower plants can quickly adjust their output to
meet demand, making them an excellent resource for balancing the grid and
integrating with other renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
[Link] Benefits: Unlike fossil fuels, hydropower does not produce air
pollution or greenhouse gases during operation. It also does not consume water in
the process, unlike some other forms of power generation.
[Link] Control and Water Supply: Large dams used in hydropower can also provide
flood control, irrigation, and drinking water to surrounding communities.
• Challenges of Hydropower
[Link] Impact:
1. Ecosystem Disruption: The construction of dams and reservoirs can
significantly disrupt local ecosystems, including altering fish migration
patterns, changing water temperatures, and impacting riverine habitats.
2. High Initial Costs: Building hydropower plants, especially large
dams, requires significant capital investment and long construction
periods.
3. Dependency on Water Availability: Hydropower generation is
highly dependent on the availability of water, which can be affected by
droughts, climate change, and seasonal variations.
4. Potential for Catastrophic Failure: Dam failures, though rare,
can lead to catastrophic flooding and loss of life downstream.
5. Limited Suitable Sites: The best sites for hydropower are often
already developed, and finding new locations that are economically
and environmentally viable can be challenging.
Global Hydropower Use
• Hydropower is a major source of electricity worldwide, contributing
around 16% of global electricity generation and about 60% of all
renewable electricity. Countries with significant hydropower
resources, such as China, Brazil, Canada, and the United States, rely
heavily on this energy source.
TIDAL ENERGY
• Ocean tides produced by gravitational forces of sun and moon
contain enormous amounts of energy. The High tides and low
tides refer to the rise and fall of water in the oceans. A
difference of several meters is required between the height of
high and low tide to spin the turbines. The tidal energy can be
harnessed by constructing a tidal barrage.
• During high tide, the sea-water flows into the reservoir of the
barrage and turns the turbine, which in turn produces
electricity by rotating the generators. During low tide, when
the sea-level is low, the sea water stored in the barrage
reservoir flows out into the sea and again turns the turbines.
• There are only a few sites in the world where tidal energy can
be suitably harnessed. The bay of Fundy Canada having 17-18
m high tides has a potential of 5,000 MW of power generation.
The tidal mill at La Rance, France is one of the first modern
tidal power mill. In India Gulf of Cambay, Gulf of Kutch and the
Sunder bans deltas are the tidal power sites.
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
• The energy harnessed from the hot rocks present inside the
earth is called geothermal energy. High temperature, high
pressure steam fields exist below the earth’s surface in many
places.
• This heat comes from the fission of radioactive material
naturally present in the rocks. In some places the steam or the
hot water comes out of the ground naturally through the
cracks in the form of natural geysers as in Manikaran Kullu.
• We artificially drill a hole up to the hot rocks and by putting a
pipe in it make the steam or hot water gush out through the
pipe at high pressure which turns the turbine of a generator to
produce electricity.
• In USA and New Zealand there are several geothermal plants
working successfully.
BIOMASS ENERGY
Biomass is the organic matter produced by the plants or animals which include wood, crop
residues, cattle dung, manure, sewage, agricultural wastes etc. Biomass energy is of the
following types :
• (a)Energy Plantations: Solar energy is trapped by green plants through photosynthesis and
converted into biomass energy owing trees like cottonwood, crop plants like sugarcane,
• (b) Agricultural and Urban Waste biomass: Crop residues, bagasse (sugarcane residues),
coconut shells, peanut hulls, cotton stalks etc. are some of the common agricultural wastes
which produce energy by burning. Animal dung, fishery and poultry waste and even human
refuse are examples of biomass energy. In Brazil 30 % of electricity is obtained from burning
bagasse. In rural India, animal dung cakes are burnt to produce heat. About 80 % of rural heat
energy requirements are met by burning agricultural wastes, wood and animal dung cakes.
• The burning of plant residues or animal wastes cause air pollution and produce a lot of ash as
waste residue. The burning of dung destroys essential nutrients like N and P. It is therefore,
more useful to convert the biomass into biogas or bio fuels.
BIOGAS
• Biogas is a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and hydrogen sulphide, the major
constituent being methane. Biogas is produced by anaerobic degradation of animal wastes
(sometimes plant wastes) in the presence of water. Anaerobic degradation means break down of
organic matter by bacteria in the absence of oxygen.
• Biogas is a non-polluting, clean and low cost fuel which is very useful for rural areas where a lot of
animal waste and agricultural waste are available.
• India has the largest cattle population in the world (240 million) and has tremendous potential for
biogas production. From cattle dung alone, we can produce biogas of a magnitude of 22,500 Mm3
annually.
Biogas has the following main advantages : It is clean,
nonpolluting and cheap. There is direct supply of gas from the
plant and there is no storage problem. The sludge left over is a
rich fertilizer containing bacterial biomass with most of the
nutrients preserved as such. Air-tight digestion/degradation of
the animal wastes is safe as it eliminates health hazards which
normally occur in case of direct use of dung due to direct
exposure to faecal pathogens and parasites.
BIOFUELS
• Biomass can be fermented to alcohols like ethanol and methanol which
can be used as fuels. Ethanol can be easily produced from carbohydrate
rich substances like sugarcane. It burns clean and is non-polluting.
• Ethanol is primarily produced by the fermentation of sugars or starches
derived from crops such as corn, sugarcane, or wheat. It can also be
produced from cellulosic biomass, including agricultural waste and woody
materials, though this process is more complex.
• Ethanol is commonly used as a fuel additive in gasoline, forming blends like
E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline) and E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline).
These blends help reduce emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases.
•Methanol can be produced from natural gas, coal, or biomass
through processes like gasification and catalytic conversion. It can
also be produced from carbon dioxide and hydrogen, offering a
potential pathway for carbon recycling.

•Uses: Methanol is used as a fuel in some specialized vehicles

and as a feedstock for producing other chemicals. It can also be
blended with gasoline, though less commonly than ethanol. In
some regions, methanol is used in "M85" blends (85% methanol,
15% gasoline).
GROWING ENERGY NEEDS
• Development in different sectors relies largely upon energy.
Agriculture, industry, mining, transportation, lighting, cooling and
heating in buildings all need energy. With the demands of growing
population the world is facing further energy deficit. The fossil fuels
like coal, oil and natural gas which at present are supplying 95% of the
commercial energy of the world resources and are not going to last for
many more years. Our life style is changing very fast and from a simple
way of life we are shifting to a luxurious life style. If you just look at the
number of electric gadgets in your homes and the number of private
cars and scooters in your locality you will realize that in the last few
years they have multiplied many folds and all of them consume energy.
CONSERVATION OF NATURAL
RESOURCES: ROLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL
• Different natural resources like forests, water, soil, food, mineral and
energy resources play a vital role in the development of a nation.
• However, overuse of these resources in our modern society is resulting in
fast depletion of these resources and several related problems. If we
want our mankind to flourish there is a strong need to conserve these
natural resources.
• While conservation efforts are underway at National as well as
International level, the individual efforts for conservation of natural
resources can go a long way. Environment belongs to each one of us and
all of us have a responsibility to contribute towards its conservation and
protection. ‘small droplets of water together form a big oceans.’
Conserve Water -
• Don’t keep water taps running while brushing, shaving, washing or bathing.
• In washing machines fill the machine only to the level required for your clothes.
• Install water-saving toilets that use not more than 6 liters per flush.
• Check for water leaks in pipes and toilets and repair them promptly. A small pin-hole
sized leak will lead to the wastage of 640 liters of water in a month.
• Reuse the soapy water of washings from clothes for washing off the courtyards,
driveways etc.
• Water the plants in your kitchen-garden and the lawns in the evening when evaporation
losses are minimum. Never water the plants in mid-day.
• Use drip irrigation and sprinkling irrigation to improve irrigation efficiency and reduce
evaporation. Install a small system to capture rain water and collect normally wasted
used water from sinks, cloth-washers, bath- tubs etc. which can be used for watering the
plants.
• Build rain water harvesting system in your house.
Conserve energy
• Turn off lights, fans and other appliances when not in use.
• Obtain as much heat as possible from natural sources.
• Dry the clothes in sun instead of drier if it is a sunny day.
• Use solar cooker for cooking your food on sunny days which will be more nutritious and
will cut down on your LPG ex-penses.
• Build your house with provision for sunspace which will keep your house warmer and
will provide more light.
• Grow deciduous trees and climbers at proper places outside your home to cut off
intense heat of summers and get a cool breeze and shade. This will cut off your
electricity charges of coolers and air-conditioners. A big tree is estimated to have a
cooling effect equivalent to five air conditioners. The decidu-ous trees shed their leaves
in winter. Therefore they do not put any hindrance to the sunlight and heat.
• Drive less, make fewer trips and use public transportations whenever possible. You can
share by joining a car-pool if you regularly have to go to the same place.
Protect the soil
• While constructing your house, don.t uproot the trees as far as possible. Plant the disturbed areas with a
fast growing native ground cover.
• Grow different types of ornamental plants, herbs and trees in your garden. Grow grass in the open areas
which will bind the soil and prevent its erosion.
• Make compost from your kitchen waste and use it for your kitchen-garden or flower-pots.
• Do not irrigate the plants using a strong flow of water, as it would wash off the soil.
• Better use sprinkling irrigation. Use green manure and mulch in the garden and kitchen-garden which will
protect the soil.
• If you own agricultural fields, do not over-irrigate your fields without proper drainage to prevent water
logging and salinisation.
• Use mixed cropping so that some specific soil nutrients do not get depleted.
• Promote Sustainable Agriculture
• Do not waste food. Take as much as you can eat.
• Reduce the use of pesticides.
• Fertilize your crop primarily with organic fertilizers.
• Use drip irrigation to water the crops.
• Eat local and seasonal vegetables. This saves lot of energy on transport, storage and preservation.