Non
Conventional
Power
Generations
The energy consumption in the world particularly in the industrialised countries has been growing at alarming rate. Fossil fuels which today meet major part of the energy demand are being depleted quickly. World bas started running out of oil and it is estimated that 80% of the world's supply will be consumed in our life times. Coal supplies may appear to be large but even this stock may not last longer than a few decades.
More
over
the
pollution
hazard
arising
out
of
fossil
fuel-burning
b
is
become
quite
significant
in
recent
years.
Nuclear
power
has
posed
a
number
of
problems
and
nuclear
fusion
is
still
a
speculative
technology.
Thus
we
are
forced
to
look
for
unconventional
energy
sources
such
as
geothermal
ocean
tides,
wind
and
sun.
It
is
also
hoped
that
these
alternative
energy
sources
will
be
able
to
meet
considerable
part
of
the
energy
demand
in
coming
future.
Among
all
these
solar
energy
seems
to
hold
out
the
greatest
promise
for
the
mankind.
It
is
free,
inexhaustible,
non-polluting
and
devoid
of
political
control.
Solar
water
heaters,
space
heaters
and
cookers
are
already
on
the
market
and
seem
to
be
economically
viable.
Solar
photo
voltaic
cells,
solar
refrigerators
and
solar
thermal
power
plants
will
be
'technically
and
economically
viable
in
a
short
time.
It
is
optimistically
estimated
that
50%
of
the
world
power
requirements
in
the
middle
of
21st
century
will
come
only
from
solar
energy.
Enough
strides
have
been
made
during
last
two
decades
to
develop
the
direct
energy
conversion
systems
to
increase
the
plant
efficiency
60%
to
70%
by
avoiding
the
conversion
of
thermal
energy
into
mechanical
energy.
Still
this
technology
is
on
the
threshold
of
the
success
and
it
is
hoped
that
this
will
also
play
a
vital
role
in
power
generation
in
coming
future.
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