Renewable Energy sources (RES) include small hydro project, Biomass, Gasifier, Biomass power, urban and Industrial water power and wind energy. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

30  percent of the primary energy consumption in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />India still comes from non-commercial energy sources like firewood, agricultural waste and dung cakes. In 2000, the primary source of cooking energy was firewood and woodchips or dung cakes for 86 percent of rural household. In urban areas as well more than 20 percent of all households rely mainly on firewood and chips. Only 5 percent of the households in rural areas and 44 percent in urban areas used LPG, Kerosene is used by 22 percent of urban households and only 2.7 percent of rural households.

In the country side Jatropha may be a good candidate for producing straight vegetable oil which could used in the country side in local indian engines.

But long term engine experiences  with such liquid biofuel are  still lacking . SPRI will try to get more information on this issues in India

Jatropha may give different yields according to agronomical treatment ( irrigation fertilizing eztc..) But from an economical point of view these yields deserves to be compared to other options and other crops.

In particular irrigation and fertilizing may appear to be appropriate only if the oilcake can be valorized as fodder for animals . This requires  a proper detoxification which is not  possible to today but which may become  feasible in the future .

The total installed capacity as on 30.04.08 is given in the following table:

State wise installed power capacity: MW (mega watt):

There is huge shortage of electricity in India at the moment coupled with very limited access to electricity especially in rural areas. The Planning commissions Integrated Energy Policy report makes the following projection (assuming an annual national growth rate of 8.0 % ) for electricity demand in India for the coming years.

Projections for electricity demand at 8 percent growth rate:

Various possible scenario have been worked out for supplying the amount of electricity forecast to be required. Thermal power is still expected to supply the major bulk of the power, thereby greatly increasing fuel requirement. Fuel requirement for future electricity generation as per one scenario with 8 % annual growth rate are shown below:

Scenerio for future electicity generation at 8 % annual growth rate:

* Includes secondary oil for coal based generation.

Going by the past record, these anticipated capacity addition may not materialize in their entirety. As against target of 41,110 MW of conventional capacity addition in 10^th five year plan (2002-07), India managed  to add meagre 21,094.6 MW. Constrains such as lack of availability of indigenous coal and natural gas supplies and problems with importing coal and natural gas could be additional factors in under realization of the above planned capacity.

Renewables: for energy security and autonomy: