Question

Answer in details−

Explain various commercial sources of energy in India.

Answer 1

Commercial sources or non-conventional sources of energy are those sources that are available to users at a certain price. These sources are scarce in nature and so, their usage involves monetary costs. The energy derived from these sources is generally used for commercial productive purposes. The following are the major sources of commercial energy in India:
a. Coal- It is the most important conventional source of energy in India. It contributes over 65% of the total energy production in the country. Coal India Limited and Singrani Coal Company are the two main coal producers in India.
b. Petroleum- It is a basic input in the transport and manufacturing sectors. India is not rich in oil and petroleum reserves. Thus, a large portion of the demand for petroleum in India is fulfilled by imports.
c. Natural gas- It is the basic input in the fertiliser and petro-chemical industries. Besides, it is also widely used in households as cooking gas in the form of LPG. In India, natural gas reserves are found in Mumbai, Gujarat and Tripura.
d. Electricity: It is the most useful source of energy in India. The three basic sources of generating electricity are thermal energy, hydroelectric energy and nuclear energy.