Power/electricity is the most widely used source of energy in India. Many of our day-to-day activities are dependent on electricity. It forms the backbone of the activities of all the sectors of the economy. All sectors such as the industrial sector, households, transport, agricultural sector, and communication are heavily dependent on power.
Source of Energy in India
In India, there are three main sources of power generation. They are as follows.
Thermal power: Thermal power uses heat energy from coal and oil as its base for the production of electricity. In India, thermal power is the most important source of electricity generation. It accounts for nearly 70% of the total power generation capacity.
Hydroelectric power: Hydroelectric power involves the production of electricity through the use of the kinetic force of falling water. For generating hydroelectric power, India has constructed various dams on the fast-flowing rivers. Some of the major dams that are used for the generation of hydroelectric power are Bhakra Nangal, Hirakund and Damodar Valley. Hydroelectric power accounts for nearly 28 % of the total power generation capacity in the country.
Nuclear power: Nuclear power is still not much developed in India. It contributes a meagre 2 % of the total power generation. However, increasing efforts are being made to harness nuclear energy. India has set up nuclear power stations at Tarapur, Kota (Rajasthan), Kalapakam (Tamil Nadu) and Narora (Uttar Pradesh).
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Primary Sources of Energy
Primary Sources of Energy are natural sources of energy that need not be transformed into any other form before using them as inputs in the production process.
Commercial Sources of Energy
Commercial sources of energy are available to users at some price. The energy derived from these sources is generally used for commercial production purposes. Coal, petroleum, natural gas, electricity and hydropower are examples of commercial sources of energy.