Non-Conventional Energy Sources

EE-381 (3:0)

Faculty: Dr. Katam Nishanth

 Course Objectives
• To understand the global power scenario, various
renewable energy technologies and grid
integration of renewable energy resources.
• To familiarize the students with renewable energy
sources like solar, geothermal, wind, fuel cells,
etc.
• To understand the principles of unique power
sources, such as nuclear fusion, biomass,
thermo-electric power generation, etc.
 Reference Books
• B H Khan - Non Conventional Energy Resources-Mc
Graw Hill India (2016)
• John Twidell, Tony Weir - Renewable Energy
Resources-Routledge (2015)
• Reading material that will be shared during the
course.
 Introduction
• “Energy”- derived from Greek word “en –
ergon’, which means ‘in – work’ or ‘work
content’.
• Work output depends on the energy input and
the capability to do work depends on the
amount of energy one can control and utilize.
• All forms of activity, including human activity,
requires use of energy.
 Introduction
• Primitive humans relied primarily on physical
work- food as primary energy source.
• Animals, wind, water, etc.- initial energy
sources.
• 1785, the invention of steam engine by James
Watt of Scotland brought industrial
revolution.
• Beginning of mechanical age or age of
machines.
 Introduction
• Invention of the internal combustion engine in
the late 19th century.
• 1888, Nikola Tesla invented commercial
induction motor.
• The introduction of electrical machines along
with commercial availability of electrical
power started the new electrical age.
 Introduction
• Energy has been the life-blood for continual
progress of human civilization.
• Thus, with progress of human civilization,
energy consumption also accelerated.
• Access to modern energy services is
fundamental to fulfilling basic social needs,
driving economic growth and fueling human
development.
 Introduction
• Access to energy is a fundamental
pre-requisite for modern life and a key tool in
eradicating extreme poverty across the globe.
• Four major energy end use sectors:
- Commercial
- Industrial
- Residential
- Transportation
 Introduction
• The per capita energy consumption of a country is
considered as an index of standard of living or
prosperity of the people of the country.

Annual Primary Energy Consumption and GDP of selected countries

 Introduction
• Kilogram(s) of oil equivalent (kgoe), is equivalent to
the approximate amount of energy that can be
extracted from one kilogram of crude oil.
• It may be used to compare the energy from different
sources.
 Numerical Problem
A family of five people consumes 1 kg per
person per day of firewood for cooking needs
and 2 kg of kerosene oil per month for lighting.
Calculate the annual primary energy
consumption per person in KGOE. Assume
heating value of wood as 4000 kcal per kg and
that of kerosene oil as 45 MJ per kg.
 Numerical Problem
Annual firewood consumption of the family for cooking = 5 × 1 kg × 365 = 1825 kg
Annual primary energy required for cooking = 1825 × 4000 kcal = 73,00,000 kcal
= 730 KGOE
Annual kerosene requirement of the family for lighting = 12 × 2 kg = 24 kg
Annual primary energy required for lighting = 24 × 45 = 1080 MJ
= 1080 × 23.884 × 10–3 KGOE
= 25.795 KGOE
Total annual primary energy consumption of the family = 730 + 25.795
= 755.8 KGOE
Total annual primary energy consumption per person = 755.8 / 5 = 151.2 KGOE
 Introduction
• As per International Energy Agency (IEA) data, the
2012 total annual energy consumption of the
world was estimated as 375.9 Exajoules (or 8,978
MTOE).
• Out of this, 16% energy was consumed by USA,
which has about 4.4 per cent of world’s
population
• 5.9 percent of total world energy was consumed
by India, which has 17 per cent of world’s
population of India.
 Introduction
• Electricity is considered a necessary
requirement for economic and social
development.
• In 2012, annual per capita electrical energy
consumption in USA was 12,954 kWh and that
in China and India was 3,488 kWh and 760
kWh respectively.
• The average global per capita electrical energy
consumption was 2,972 kWh.
 Oil Crisis of 1973
• End of Bretton Woods agreement (1944-1971)
• The value of USD was no longer pegged to the
amount of US gold reserves.
• USD continued to be the reserve currency for
global trade- formation of regulatory bodies
such as IMF and World Bank.
• How America Made The Dollar A Global
Benchmark | Epic Economics – YouTube
 Oil Crisis of 1973
• In October 1973 OAPEC (Organization of Arab
Petroleum Exporting countries and Egypt, Syria
and Tunisia) proclaimed an embargo on oil
production.
• It started a pricing control strategy, in response to
support of USA to Israel in its war against Egypt.
• Oil prices shot up four folds to 12 USD (from 3
USD per barrel) causing severe energy crisis the
world over.
 Oil Crisis of 1973
• All the above factors caused oil prices to
continuously rise until 1986.
• The world took this “oil shock” very seriously.
• A need for developing alternative sources of
energy was felt- energy sources that were
independent of oil.
• Alternate energy sources were given serious
consideration.
• Large funds were allocated for development of
these resources as well as for framing policies for
energy conservation.
 Classification of Energy Sources
Based on usability of energy:
(a) Primary resources
- These include resources embodied in nature prior to
undergoing any human-made conversions or
transformations.

- Examples of primary energy resources are coal, crude oil,

sunlight, wind, running rivers, vegetation and radioactive
material like uranium etc.

- Some energy is spent in making the resource available to

the user in a usable form.
 Classification of Energy Sources
•
 Classification of Energy Sources
Based on usability of energy:
(a) Secondary resources
• The energy resources supplied to the consumer
after one or more steps of transformation are
known as secondary energy or usable energy,

• Electrical energy, thermal energy in the form of

steam or hot water, refined fuels or synthetic
fuels such as hydrogen fuels, etc.
 Classification of Energy Sources
Based on Traditional Use
(a) Conventional Energy resources
• Traditionally used energy sources that were in use before
(and even after),the oil crisis of 1973, are called
conventional energy resources,
• e.g. fossil fuels, nuclear and hydro resources.

(b) Non-conventional Energy resources

• Energy sources which are considered for large-scale use
after the oil crisis of 1973, are called non-conventional
energy sources.
• e.g. solar, wind, biomass, etc.
 Classification of Energy Sources
Based on Long-Term Availability
(a) Non-renewable energy
• Finite energy sources that do not get replenished after their
consumption, are called non-renewable resources
• e.g. fossil fuels, uranium, etc.

(b) Renewable energy

• Energy sources that are essentially inexhaustible.
• Examples of renewable resources include wind power, solar power,
geothermal energy, tidal power and hydroelectric power.
• The most important feature of renewable energy is that it can be
harnessed without the release of harmful pollutants.
 Classification of Energy Sources
Based on Commercial Application
(a) Commercial Energy
• The energy sources that are available in the market for a definite
price are known as commercial energy.
• e.g. electricity, coal and refined petroleum products.

(b) Non-commercial Energy

• The energy sources that are not available in the commercial
market for a price are classified as non-commercial energy.
• Non-commercial energy is often ignored in energy accounting.
• e.g. firewood, agro waste in rural areas, solar energy for water
heating, animal power for transport, irrigation and crushing of
sugarcane, etc.
 Classification of Energy Sources
Based on origin
(a) Fossil fuels energy (82% of world’s energy supply)
(b) Nuclear energy (5%)
(c) Hydro energy (2%)
(d) Solar energy
(e) Wind energy
(f) Biomass energy
(g) Geothermal energy
(h) Tidal energy
(i) Ocean thermal energy
(j) Ocean wave energy
 Common Forms of Energy

(a) Electrical Energy

• Electrical energy is considered to be the high grade energy.
• About 30–40 per cent energy distribution in the world is met
through electrical supply system.
• It can be very conveniently and efficiently converted to other
forms of energy.

(b) Mechanical Energy

• Mechanical energy is required for movement of objects, changing
the shape of the objects, etc.
• It is used in transportation, agriculture, handling, processing, and
other industrial processes.
 Common Forms of Energy
(c)Thermal Energy
• Thermal energy is considered to be of lower grade as compared to
electrical and mechanical energy.
• It is used to raise the temperature of an object during industrial
processes. It can also be converted to mechanical energy with the
help of heat engines.
• There are three grades of thermal energy depending on the
temperature at which it available:
- High grade (500–1000 °C and higher): It can be converted
efficiently into mechanical energy.
- Medium grade (150–500 °C): It can be converted into
mechanical energy with difficulty and with lower efficiency.
- Low grade (80-150 °C): It cannot be ordinarily converted into
mechanical energy and used mostly for the purpose of heating
 Advantages of Conventional Energy Sources

• Cost : At present these are cheaper than

non-conventional sources.

• Security : As storage is easy and convenient, by

storing certain quantity, the energy availability
can be ensured for certain period.

• Convenience: These sources are very convenient

to use as technology for their conversion and use
is universally available.
Disadvantages of Conventional Energy Sources

• Fossil fuels generate several gaseous pollutants.

• Main pollutants generated in the use of fossil

fuels are CO, CO2, NOx, SOx, particulate matter
and heat.

• These pollutants degrade the environment, pose

health hazards and cause various other problems.

• CO2 is mainly responsible for global warming.

 Global Warming
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) envelope present around
the globe in the atmosphere behaves similar
to a glass pane and forms a big global green
house.

• This tends to prevent the escape of heat from

earth, which leads to global warming. This
phenomenon is known as greenhouse effect.
 Global Warming
Other gases behaving similar to CO2 are
• Methane (CH4)
• Nitrous oxide (N2O),
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
• Hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC)
• Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
• Ozone (O3)
• Water vapor.

These gases are known as greenhouse gases (GHG).

Average concentrations of GHGs in atmosphere along with Global Warming
Potentials (GWPs) relative to CO2 and atmospheric lifetimes
 Numerical Problem
A chemical industry produces 5 Tg (teragrams)
of N2O per day. How much pollution is added
into the atmosphere per day in terms of carbon
equivalent?
 Numerical Problem
• The Global Warming Potential (GWP) of N2O is 265.
• The daily pollution of N2O = 5 Tg
• The daily pollution in terms of equivalent CO2= 5 × 265 =
1,325 Tg = 1,325 Million Tons of CO2
• As (12/44) is the carbon to CO2 molecular weight ratio, the
pollution in terms of Million Metric Tons of Carbon Equivalent
(MMTCE) = 1,325 × (12/44)
• = 361.36 MMTCE
 Solar Energy- Introduction
• The sun radiates energy uniformly in all
directions in the form of electromagnetic
waves.
• It provides the energy needed to sustain life in
our solar system.
• It is a clean, inexhaustible, abundantly and
universally available renewable energy source.
 Solar Energy- Introduction
• Major drawbacks of solar energy are:
-dilute form of energy,
-intermittent, uncertain, discontinuous
• However, it is more predictable than wind energy.
• Peak solar insolation (incident solar radiation)
often coincides with peak daytime demand.
• So it can be well matched to commercial power
needs.
 Solar Energy- Introduction
• The output of sun is 2.8× 1023kW.
• Solar energy reaching the earth is 1.5 ×
1018kWh/year.
• World Energy Consumption:25,500
terawatt-hours (2.55x 1013 kWh/year) in 2022
• Electricity generation in Solar Energy market is
projected to amount to 0.73x 1012 kWh in
2024.
 Solar Energy- Introduction
• Solar energy can be utilized directly in two
ways:
-Solar Thermal system: using solar energy
directly for heating as the first step
-Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system: using solar
energy to generate electrical energy as the first
step.
Solar Thermal System
Solar Thermal System
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system
 Solar Energy- Introduction
Various sources of energy find their origin in sun:
• Wind energy
• Biomass energy
• Tidal energy
• Ocean wave energy
• Ocean thermal energy
• Fossil fuels and other organic chemicals
• Hydro energy
 Details about the Sun
• Largest member of the solar system - sphere
of intensely hot gaseous matter - diameter of
1.39 × 109 m (1.3 million earths can fit inside
the sun)
• Core temperature is estimated between 8 ×
106 to 40 × 106 K.
• The core has density of about 100 times that
of water and pressure of 109 atm.
 Details about the Sun
• Source of sun’s energy- nuclear reaction in which
four hydrogen atoms (protons) combine to form
one helium atom.
• The mass of the helium nucleus is less than that of
four protons
• The difference of mass is converted to energy in
fusion reaction as follows:
• 4(1H1+) 2He4+ + 26.7 Mev
• The surface of the sun is maintained at a
temperature of approximately 5800 K.
 Details about the Earth
• The earth is shaped as an oblate spheroid – a sphere flattened
at the poles and bulged in the plane normal to the poles.
• However, for most practical purposes, the earth may be
considered as a sphere with a diameter of about 1.3 × 107 m.
 Details about Earth
• One rotation about its axis every 24 hours
• One revolution about the sun in a period of
approximately 365.25 days.
• Earth’s axis is inclined at an angle of 23.5°.
• As a result the length of days and nights keep
changing.
• The earth reflects about 30% of the sunlight
that fall on it. This is known as earth’s albedo.
 Sun-Earth radiation spectrum
• Black body - an ideal body or surface that
completely absorbs all radiant energy falling
upon it with no reflection.
• It also radiates at all frequencies with a
spectral energy distribution dependent on its
absolute temperature.
• The wavelength distribution of radiation
emitted by a black body is given by Planck’s
law.
 Sun-Earth radiation spectrum
Planck’s law
 Sun-Earth radiation spectrum
• Using the previous formula the power density
distribution of solar radiation at the surface of
the sun considering the surface temperature
to be 5760 K.
• Similar calculation can be done for earth’s
power density distribution, by considering the
average earth temperature to be 288 K (15 °
C).
• Radiant energy from
the sun at about
5760 K lies in the
range of short
wavelengths,
peaking around 0.48
μm

• Radiant energy from

earth at 288 K (15°C)
lies in the range of
long wavelengths,
peaking around 10
μm.
 Solar Constant (ISC)
• Solar Constant (Isc), is defined as the energy received on a
unit area of surface at a distance of one astronomical unit
from the sun, perpendicular to the direction of propagation
of the radiation

• Earth’s mean distance from the sun (one astronomical unit).

• The World Radiation Center (WRC) has adopted a value of

solar constant as 1367 W/m2

Mean distance from the sun

Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial Radiations

• The intensity of solar radiation keeps on

attenuating (decreasing) as it propagates
away from the surface of the sun, though the
wavelengths remain unchanged.
• Solar radiation incident on the outer
atmosphere of the earth is known as
Extraterrestrial Radiation (Iext).
 Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial Radiations

• The extraterrestrial radiation (Iext) deviates

from solar constant value due to two reasons:
- Variation in the radiation emitted by the
sun itself. (less than ±1.5 %)
-Variation of earth–sun distance arising
from earth’s slightly elliptic path (±3%)
Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial Radiations

• While passing through the atmosphere Iext is

subjected to mechanisms of atmospheric
absorption and scattering depending on
atmospheric conditions, depleting its
intensity.

• A fraction of scattered radiation is reflected

back to space while remaining is directed
downwards.
 Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial Radiations

• Solar radiation that reaches earth surface after passing

through the earth’s atmosphere is known as
Terrestrial Radiation.

• The terrestrial radiation expressed as power received

per unit area (i.e. W/m2) is known as Solar Irradiation.

• The term Solar Insolation (incident solar radiation) is

defined as solar radiation energy received on a given
surface area in a given time (in J/m2 or kWh/m2).
Propagation of solar radiation through atmosphere
Direction of sun’s ray with respect to atmosphere
Solar Radiation Geometry