flowchart TB
E[Energy Resources] --> C[Conventional / Non-Renewable]
E --> R[Renewable / Non-Conventional]
C --> CO[Coal]
C --> P[Petroleum]
C --> NG[Natural Gas]
C --> N[Nuclear]
R --> S[Solar]
R --> W[Wind]
R --> H[Hydro]
R --> B[Biomass]
R --> G[Geothermal]
R --> T[Tidal / Wave]
R --> HY[Hydrogen]
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41 Natural and Energy Resources
A natural resource is anything obtained from the environment to support life and economic activity. Resources are classified by their renewability — the rate at which nature replenishes them.
41.1 Renewable vs Non-Renewable
TipTwo Major Categories
| Type | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable | Replenished naturally on a human time scale | Solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal, tidal |
| Non-renewable | Finite stocks; replenish very slowly or not at all | Coal, oil, natural gas, uranium, minerals |
TipA Sub-classification
- Inexhaustible — solar, wind, tidal (always replenished as long as sun and Earth exist).
- Renewable but exhaustible — forests, fisheries (renewable in principle, but degradable if over-exploited).
- Non-renewable but recyclable — metals.
- Non-renewable and non-recyclable — fossil fuels (combustion destroys them).
41.2 Energy Resources
41.2.1 Conventional / Non-Renewable
TipConventional Energy Sources
| Source | Origin | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | Fossilised plant matter | Power generation (largest contributor in India) |
| Petroleum / Crude oil | Marine organisms over millions of years | Transport, petrochemicals |
| Natural gas | Fossil hydrocarbons | Power, cooking (PNG), CNG vehicles |
| Nuclear (uranium, thorium) | Radioactive elements | Nuclear fission for electricity |
41.2.2 Renewable / Non-Conventional
TipRenewable Energy Sources
| Source | Working principle |
|---|---|
| Solar | Photovoltaic cells / solar thermal |
| Wind | Turbines convert kinetic energy to electricity |
| Hydro | Falling water turns turbines |
| Biomass / Bioenergy | Plant or animal matter — burnt or fermented (biogas, ethanol) |
| Geothermal | Heat from Earth’s interior |
| Tidal | Tidal range drives turbines |
| Wave | Surface ocean waves drive turbines |
| Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) | Temperature gradient between surface and deep water |
| Hydrogen | Hydrogen as fuel via electrolysis or reforming |
41.3 India’s Energy Mix and Initiatives
India’s installed power capacity is dominated by coal but the renewable share is growing fast.
TipIndia’s Major Energy Initiatives
- National Solar Mission — part of NAPCC; targets large-scale solar deployment.
- International Solar Alliance (ISA) — co-launched with France, 2015.
- Wind energy — India is among the top 5 wind power producers globally.
- Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) — emission norms in force from April 2020.
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) — LPG for poor households (2016).
- National Hydrogen Mission — green hydrogen as fuel; launched 2021.
- Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME I, II) — EV adoption.
- Saubhagya Yojana — rural electrification.
- Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana (2024) — rooftop solar for households.
- Pradhan Mantri Kusum Yojana — solar power for agriculture.
- Updated NDC (2022) — 50 % installed capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
- Net zero by 2070 (announced at COP26, 2021).
41.4 Other Natural Resources
41.4.1 Forests
India’s forest cover (2023): about 24.62 % of geographical area (Forest Survey of India, India State of Forest Report 2023). Indian forests are classified as: tropical evergreen, tropical deciduous, montane, mangrove (Sundarbans), thorn, alpine.
41.4.2 Water
- 97 % of Earth’s water is in oceans (saline).
- 3 % is fresh water; only ~0.5 % is accessible (lakes, rivers, shallow groundwater).
- India has 4 % of world’s freshwater for ~17 % of world population.
- Major basins: Ganga, Brahmaputra, Godavari, Krishna, Indus.
41.4.3 Soil
Soil is renewable on geological time scales; degraded by erosion, salinisation, and contamination.
41.4.4 Mineral Resources
- Metallic — iron, copper, aluminium (bauxite), zinc, lead, gold.
- Non-metallic — limestone, mica, gypsum.
- Energy minerals — coal, petroleum, uranium.
- Atomic minerals — uranium, thorium, beryllium.
41.4.5 Biological Resources
- Forests, fisheries, livestock, agricultural diversity, traditional medicinal plants.
41.5 Energy Conservation
TipWorking Energy-Saving Strategies
- Efficiency — LED lighting, BEE-rated appliances (1–5 star ratings).
- Insulation — building heat-loss reduction.
- Public transport and EV — reduce per-capita energy use.
- Demand-side management — peak-hour pricing, time-of-day tariffs.
- Smart grids — match supply with demand more flexibly.
41.6 Indian Bodies for Energy
TipMajor Indian Energy Bodies
| Body | Function |
|---|---|
| MNRE | Ministry of New and Renewable Energy |
| MoP | Ministry of Power |
| MoPNG | Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas |
| NTPC | National Thermal Power Corporation |
| SECI | Solar Energy Corporation of India |
| BEE | Bureau of Energy Efficiency |
| CEA | Central Electricity Authority |
| IREDA | Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency |
| NPCIL | Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd |
| DAE | Department of Atomic Energy |
41.7 Practice Questions
Q 01
Renewable
Easy
Which of the following is a *non-renewable* energy resource?
View solution
Correct Option: C
Coal is a fossil fuel; non-renewable on human time scales. Solar, wind, tidal are renewable.
Q 02
India Renewable
Medium
Under its updated NDC (2022), India has committed to achieving non-fossil installed capacity by 2030 of:
View solution
Correct Option: C
India's updated NDC targets 50 % of cumulative installed power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
Q 03
Earth's Water
Medium
Approximately what percentage of the Earth's water is fresh water?
View solution
Correct Option: A
About 3 % of Earth's water is fresh; only ~0.5 % is accessible (lakes, rivers, shallow groundwater).
Q 04
National Solar Mission
Medium
The National Solar Mission of India is part of which umbrella programme?
View solution
Correct Option: A
The Solar Mission is one of the eight missions under the NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change).
Q 05
India Net Zero
Easy
India has announced its target for achieving net-zero emissions by:
View solution
Correct Option: D
India announced its 2070 net zero target at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021).
Q 06
MNRE
Easy
MNRE stands for:
View solution
Correct Option: B
MNRE = Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Q 07
Forest Cover
Medium
According to the India State of Forest Report, India's forest cover is approximately what percentage of its geographical area?
View solution
Correct Option: B
Forest cover is approximately 25 % (24.62 % per ISFR 2023). The National Forest Policy 1988 aims at 33 %.
Q 08
Hydrogen Mission
Medium
The National Hydrogen Mission of India was launched in:
View solution
Correct Option: C
The National Hydrogen Mission was launched in 2021 (formally adopted as the National Green Hydrogen Mission in 2023).
ImportantQuick recall
- Renewable (solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal, tidal, hydrogen) vs Non-renewable (coal, oil, gas, nuclear).
- India NDC: 45 % emission intensity reduction by 2030; 50 % non-fossil installed capacity; net zero by 2070.
- Initiatives: NAPCC (8 missions), ISA, PMUY, National Hydrogen Mission, FAME, PM-KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar Yojana.
- Earth’s water: 97 % saline, 3 % fresh (only ~0.5 % accessible).
- Forest cover: ~24.62 % (ISFR 2023); National Forest Policy 1988 target = 33 %.
- Major bodies: MNRE, MoP, BEE, NTPC, SECI, IREDA, CEA, NPCIL, DAE.