RENEWABLE ENERGY

Renewable energy refers to the provision of energy via renewable resources which are
naturally replenished as fast as they are being used.

“Renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate
than they are consumed.” (United Nations).

"Energy is the golden thread. Development is not possible without energy, and sustainable
development is not possible without sustainable energy." (UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon)

In Pakistan, Ministry of Energy (Petroleum & Power Division) concerns with renewable energy
sources. Renewable Energy can be a form of sustainable energy if it "meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Growth of
renewables was 45% larger in 2020 compared to 2019, including a 90% rise in global wind
capacity. Examples of renewable energy sources are as follows:

 Solar energy.
 Wind energy
 Geothermal energy
 Hydropower
 Ocean energy
 Bioenergy.

i. Solar Power

The Sun is Earth's primary source of energy, a clean and abundantly available resource in
many regions. Solar energy is the most abundant of all energy resources and can even be harnessed in
cloudy weather. The rate at which solar energy is intercepted by the Earth is about 10,000 times
greater than the rate at which humankind consumes energy.

Solar technologies can deliver heat, cooling, natural lighting, electricity, and fuels for a host of
applications. In 2019, solar power provided around 3% of global electricity, mostly through solar
panels based on photovoltaic cells (PV). The panels are mounted on top of buildings or installed
in utility-scale solar parks. Costs of solar photovoltaic cells have dropped rapidly, driving strong
growth in worldwide capacity. The cost of electricity from new solar farms is competitive with, or
in many places, cheaper than electricity from existing coal plants. Various projections of future
energy use identify solar PV as one of the main sources of energy generation in a sustainable mix.
In addition to electricity production, solar energy is used more directly; solar thermal
heating systems are used for hot water production, heating buildings, drying, and desalination.

The Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park is a photovoltaic power station in Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan,
named in honor of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. It is a 100 MW
solar plant.

Advantages of Solar Energy

i. Clean Energy Source: Solar energy doesn’t have any harmful byproducts and is a clean
energy source. It is a renewable source of energy in proper form and is available all over the
globe. You can harness solar power freely, and it won’t harm the environment.

ii. Reduction In Electricity Bills: Solar energy reduces power consumption and thereby reduces
your electric bills. The reduction in electricity consumption will depend on how much solar
energy your solar panel setup produces and how much electricity you use daily.

iii. Multiple Applications: Solar energy has multiple applications. You can either use it to
generate heat or electricity. It is beneficial in distant areas where transmission of electricity using
lower grid lines is not possible.

iv. Low Maintenance Cost: Solar energy’s other advantage is that solar systems don’t require
much maintenance apart from installation cost. The system will work fine if you keep the panels
clean. You can easily do it or hire someone to do it for you at a minimal cost. Manufacturers of
the solar panel provide a warranty of up to 20-25 years. Since all the parts are fixed, you don’t
need to worry about the wear and tear of moving parts.
 v. Independent Source Of Energy: Many countries don’t have energy resources, and they have
to depend on other countries for importing fuels and other resources. Generating enough solar
energy to meet all the power demand would be a great solution providing energy independence.
The increased rate of fossil fuels will also decrease if every country is self-dependent on
producing its energy.

vi. Lower Impact On Environment: Solar energy is renewable energy, and neither the
production nor the use of this energy releases any harmful substance into the environment. Apart
from being abundantly available, one of the most significant benefits of solar energy is its lower
impact on the environment. It reduces harmful gases and carbon emissions into the environment.

vii. Sustainable: With the growth of the population, there is always a risk of energy resources
running out. Solar energy is something that will always be there as long as there is a Sun. With
solar energy as a power source, the strain on other energy sources decreases, and you don’t have
to worry about the depleting level of resources.

viii. Used On Underutilized Land: Installing solar panels on inhabitable lands is a great idea
to use the land without disrupting the wildlife. You can also use barren lands that are not suitable
for agriculture to install solar power systems.

There is also a new trend of installing solar panels on top of water bodies used for fisheries. It is
the brightest idea to install a solar power plant without wasting any ground space.

The rooftop of large buildings and factories is also a great place to install solar panels. The power
generated through the panels would lower down the electricity use of the building, and you will
utilize an unused area.

ix. Increase In Property Value: If you are getting solar panels installed on the rooftop of your
house, you are indirectly increasing the resale value of your home. Next time you sell your home,
you can charge more for the panels you have installed. Installation of solar panels can be an
investment for homeowners looking to resell their homes shortly.
x. Lower Water Pollution: Just like every other process of manufacturing, the manufacturing of
solar panels leads to some form of water pollution. However, solar panels require much less water
than most other energy sources that need water for cooling purposes.

xi. Electricity: Solar energy is an ideal source to create electric power for places where it is hard
to get electricity from any other source. Some areas are distant, and solar power is an excellent
solution for sites that are hard to connect with the local grid.

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

i. Installation Cost Is Too High: One of the highest disadvantages of solar energy is the cost of
installation. The initial cost for installing a solar power system at your average-sized home can
cost anywhere between 15000$ to 30000$, and that too when you don’t include the batteries to
store the power. This cost comprises solar panels, wiring, inverter, permits, installation, and system
maintenance.

ii. Reliability: A major drawback of solar energy is that it is reliant on sunlight. You can not use
a solar power system to generate electricity at night. For using electricity at night, you need to have
some storage to store the power generated during the day, or you need to have some other energy
source to meet your power demand at night. It means an increased cost of batteries for storing the
power.

iii. Dependent On Weather: Another disadvantage with solar energy is that it is weather-
dependent. While solar panels can collect solar power on a rainy and cloudy day, it is much lower
than a sunny day’s efficiency.

Weather changes when the seasons change, and that impacts solar energy efficiency. In the
summers, you will be able to generate more solar power than winters or rains. Places with longer
winters and rainy days are not ideal for investing too much money in solar panels.

iv. Lots Of Space Required for Installation: The higher amount of solar energy generation
requires more solar panels to collect as much sunlight as possible. Solar panels need lots of space
for installation, and if you are installing them on your roof, then the area might not be sufficient.
The amount of space required for installing solar panels also depends upon the time and the
intensity of sunlight that place gets.

v. Not Efficient: Most solar panels are not fully efficient, and they convert only about 22 percent
of their total energy into power. Theoretically, the highest energy efficiency would be about 85
percent, and that is when the panels will have mirrors and motors that follow the sun’s movement.
For a system that does not follow the sun’s movement, theoretically, the highest energy efficiency
would be about 55 percent. The same is with designs that follow the sun’s direction on a cloudy
day.

vi. Pollution And Impact On Environment: While solar energy itself is a renewable source of
energy that directly does not impact the environment in the wrong way, it is the manufacturing and
the installation of solar panels that harms the environment.

Lead and cadmium are two compounds that are in solar panels and are highly toxic. Several other
compounds produced during solar panel manufacturing are harmful, and there are no proper
regulations in several countries on how to dispose of them. The transportation of solar panels and
other installation requirements also causes pollution.

vii. Location Dependent: Another disadvantage with solar energy is that it is dependent on the
location. The area where the solar panel is installed plays a high role in generating power. Not all
places on earth get an equal amount of sunlight. The farther you move from the equator, the less
sunlight you will get, and less will be the efficiency of the solar energy. Solar panels are also prone
to deterioration after constantly being outside, and factors like wind, dirt, and rains also damage
the panels.

2. Wind power
Wind has been an important driver of development over millennia, providing mechanical
energy for industrial processes, water pumps, and sailing ships. Modern wind turbines are used to
generate electricity and provided approximately 6% of global electricity in 2019. Electricity from
onshore wind farms is often cheaper than existing coal plants and competitive with natural gas and
nuclear. Wind turbines can also be placed offshore, where winds are steadier and stronger than on
land but construction and maintenance costs are higher.

Pros and Cons of Wind Energy

 Free Fuel
 One of the Cleanest Forms of Energy
 Advances in Technology
 Doesn't Disrupt Farmland Operations
 Wind power, in contrast to nuclear and fossil fuel plants, does not consume water.
 Reduces Our Dependence of Fossil Fuels.
 Dangerous to Some Wildlife
 Noisy
 Expensive Upfront Cost.

 Turbine blades are not fully recyclable, and research into methods of manufacturing
easier-to-recycle blades is ongoing

3. Hydropower
Hydroelectric plants convert the energy of moving water into electricity. In 2020,
hydropower supplied 17% of the world's electricity, down from a high of nearly 20% in the mid-
to-late 20th century. Hydropower has been one of the main protagonists of the energy transition
to renewable sources.

Hydropower harnesses the energy of water moving from higher to lower elevations. It can be generated
from reservoirs and rivers. Reservoir hydropower plants rely on stored water in a reservoir, while run-
of-river hydropower plants harness energy from the available flow of the river. Hydropower currently
is the largest source of renewable energy in the electricity sector. It relies on generally stable rainfall
patterns, and can be negatively impacted by climate-induced droughts or changes to ecosystems which
impact rainfall patterns.
 Advantages of Hydroelectric Energy
 Renewable. Hydropower is completely renewable, which means it will never run out unless the
water stops flowing.
 Emission Free.
 Reliable.
 Adjustable.
 Create Lakes.
 Faster Developed Land.
 Impact on Fish.
 Limited Plant Locations.
 Hydropower stations help the environment as an irrigation system
 Hydropower is increasingly within the reach of private users

1. The cheapest energy source

Even though the initial investment required to build a plant is very high and something of a
challenge, water power is definitely the cheapest source overall in the medium to long term. Once
the dams and stations have been built and the turbines installed, they require only minimally
expensive maintenance compared to the initial investment.

2. Hydropower stations are agile and responsive

Faced with water availability that can change over time, the power stations are actually
extremely flexible. Production systems require a very small amount of energy to start working. In
fact, even a large station can go from offline to maximum power and vice versa within the space
of a few minutes.

3. Water brings with it enormous energy

The energy potential of hydropower is enormous. The gigantic masses of water found
at high altitudes have a significant amount of gravitational potential energy and even using just a
part of it will provide abundant power. Suffice it to say that all of the world’s largest power stations
are hydroelectric and just one station can cover the energy requirements of millions of people.
4. Production can be tailored to demand
One of the most serious flaws of many renewables is the fact that they do not supply a
constant flow of energy. In the case of hydropower, however, weather and climate variability can
be partially offset by high elevation reservoirs, such as dams. Therefore, what might potentially be
a disadvantage now becomes a strength: the water flow can be easily controlled to suit energy
requirements. This is true both in the short term – for example, in the night-day cycle – and in the
longer term for seasonal variations and periods of drought.

5. Very low indirect emissions

The organic residues that decompose in reservoirs can also be a source of methane, one of
the main greenhouse gasses. In the past, this fact fueled controversy over whether hydropower
could genuinely be considered an entirely green energy source. However, this debate has been
settled by a series of technical and scientific analyses: said emissions were found to be virtually
negligible compared to fossil fuels and almost entirely absent in the more modern stations.

6. Secondary water flows are suitable for smaller plants

Alongside large stations that use enormous masses of water and operate at different
elevations, smaller hydroelectric plants can also be built to use the existing water flows and
infrastructure. Even though the primary stations are more efficient, as reiterated by the European
Union in 2018, this type of secondary hydropower generation on already harnessed and dammed
water courses provides an additional opportunity.

7. Hydropower as a tool for reclamation

With water courses contained within pre-established reservoirs, hydropower stations also
help avoid flooding as well as helping to drain marshy land where stagnant water tends to
accumulate. Both the flow and total volume of water released can be controlled very precisely.
Thus it is possible to ensure that the water flows steadily, even where rainfall tends to be intense
and concentrated in short periods of time.

9. Hydropower stations help the environment

Often, when it comes to hydropower, the focus is on the impact the stations can have on
the environment – but hydropower can also benefit the environment. For instance, having more
water available in reservoirs means richer vegetation, which in return attracts more animals and
boosts the population in the surrounding area. Furthermore, hydropower stations trap trees and
branches, keeping the waterways clean and, as a result, more navigable.

10. Hydropower is increasingly within the reach of private users

Mini hydro plants, which are small in size and designed for domestic or hyperlocal use,
started gaining a foothold at the start of this century. While building plants that used water power
for domestic purposes was prohibitive in the past, this is now an increasingly attractive possibility,
allowing users to generate enough electricity to meet their own energy requirements and also to
feed the excess power generated into the grid.

4. Geothermal

Geothermal energy is produced by tapping into deep underground heat and harnessing it to
generate electricity or to heat water and buildings. The use of geothermal energy is concentrated
in regions where heat extraction is economical: a combination is needed of high temperatures, heat
flow, and permeability (the ability of the rock to allow fluids to pass through). Geothermal energy
utilizes the accessible thermal energy from the Earth’s interior. Heat is extracted from geothermal
reservoirs using wells or other means.

Power is produced from the steam created in underground reservoirs. Geothermal energy
provided less than 1% of global energy consumption in 2020. Geothermal energy is a renewable
resource because thermal energy is constantly replenished from neighbouring hotter regions and
the radioactive decay of naturally occurring isotopes.[86] On average, the greenhouse gas emissions
of geothermal-based electricity are less than 5% that of coal-based electricity. Geothermal energy
carries a risk of inducing earthquakes, needs effective protection to avoid water pollution, and
releases toxic emissions which can be captured.

Once at the surface, fluids of various temperatures can be used to generate electricity. The technology
for electricity generation from hydrothermal reservoirs is mature and reliable, and has been operating
for more than 100 years.
Advantages of Geothermal Energy

1. Always available
Aside from being essentially unlimited like many other renewables, geothermal energy
is always available. It is not impacted upon by whether it is day or night like solar energy, and does
not depend on season, climate or weather conditions like wind and solar power. On average,
a geothermal power plant will produce energy for around 8,600 hours a year, while in solar plants
the average is around 2,000 hours per year. We can therefore describe the rate of geothermal energy
production as constant, at least in the short or medium term. This makes it more
easily predicable and plannable.

2. Doesn’t require large spaces

Unlike the majestic expanses of large wind turbines and photovoltaic panels, geothermal
power plants only require modest amounts of space. Regardless of whether it is a domestic system
or a large-scale plant, most of the components (including the heat exchangers) are buried
underground, with very little remaining above ground. In homes, the heat pump is about the size
of a household appliance, while in larger plants, the biggest components are the cooling
towers, followed by turbines. In certain cases, the plants can have a visual impact on the landscape
but newer architectural designs are mitigating this issue.
3. Silent energy
At least while functioning at full capacity, geothermal power plants produce negligible and
imperceptible noise levels. During the construction phase of the plants – including excavations –
a certain amount of noise is inevitable, but once construction is complete, everything is silent. This
applies to both domestic systems and outside larger power stations that have at most several
turbines spinning.

4. It creates record numbers of jobs

That is what the data gathered by the energy services manager, GSE, tells us: for the same
installed power, geothermal energy creates more indirect employment than any other type of
renewable. In terms of numbers, that translates to 34 jobs per installed megawatt, much higher
than the 19 created by wind power and the 12 by photovoltaic energy. In Italy alone, 2,000
gigawatts of installed power would guarantee permanent employment for 4,000 people and 30,000
other jobs.

5. Provides more energy for the same nominal power

Because delivery is constant, geothermal energy can work at full capacity non-
stop (maintenance aside). This means that the resulting amount of energy will be the equivalent of
the power multiplied by the hours of use. This is very different
to photovoltaic, hydroelectric and wind systems, which only rarely work at full capacity. So more
energy is produced for the same nominal power.

6. Allows double recycling

Geothermal power optimizes resources. On the one hand, the plants have components that
can be salvaged and reused at the end of the installation’s lifecycle. On the other, during operation,
the flows are organized in such a way as to put any heat that can’t be used immediately back into
the circuit using the steam pipes that power the plant, helping to save energy.

7. The plants are long-lasting, safe and reliable

Both domestic and large scale plants have very long average life spans – up to 80 to 100
years. This is extraordinary longevity compared to a domestic boiler, which normally lasts around
15 years. The fact that there are no fuels involved also means there is no risk of fire, and the long
experience we have gained with this type of system guarantees excellent reliability.

8. Requires very little maintenance

Particularly when it comes to domestic use, geothermal plants do not require any special
maintenance. As they are closed systems, the pressure of the fluid in the piping self-regulates, and
the number of electrical and mechanical elements that can break down is also very small.

9. The Earth’s heat can also cool

When geothermal energy is mentioned, we think first and foremost of thermal energy and
heating. Nonetheless, geothermal plants are designed to both heat and cool. This is why, aside
from in the large stations, geothermal power systems can be installed in almost any type of
building: from homes to shopping malls, public buildings and sports centers. The only limit being,
of course, that the location is favorable in terms of the characteristics of the Earth’s crust.

10. More advantages for the home

In addition to providing air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter,
geothermal energy has many other advantages when used in the home. For instance, it reduces
overall energy consumption by between 30 and 70% because it can also do the job of a boiler, i.e.,
heat water for use in the kitchen and bathroom.

5. Bioenergy
Bioenergy is produced from a variety of organic materials, called biomass, such as wood,
charcoal, dung and other manures for heat and power production, and agricultural crops for liquid
biofuels. Most biomass is used in rural areas for cooking, lighting and space heating, generally by poorer
populations in developing countries. Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants
and animals. It can either be burned to produce heat and electricity or be converted
into biofuels such as biodiesel and ethanol, which can be used to power vehicles. Modern biomass
systems include dedicated crops or trees, residues from agriculture and forestry, and various organic
waste streams.
Energy created by burning biomass creates greenhouse gas emissions, but at lower levels than burning
fossil fuels like coal, oil or gas. However, bioenergy should only be used in limited applications, given
potential negative environmental impacts related to large-scale increases in forest and bioenergy
plantations, and resulting deforestation and land-use change.

Some of the advantages of biomass energy are:

1. Biomass is always and widely available as a renewable source of energy.

The organic materials used to produce biomass are infinite, since our society consistently
produces waste such as garbage, wood and manure.

2. It is carbon neutral.
As a natural part of photosynthesis, biomass fuels only release the same amount of carbon into
the atmosphere as was absorbed by plants in the course of their life cycle.

3. It reduces the overreliance of fossil fuels.

Not only is there is a limited supply of fossil fuels, but fossil fuels come with environmental
baggage, including the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and the
pollutants that result from removal, transportation and production.

4. Is less expensive than fossil fuels.

While fossil fuel production requires a heavy outlay of capital, such as oil drills, gas pipelines
and fuel collection, biomass technology is much cheaper. Manufacturers and producers are
able to generate higher profits from a lower output.

5. Biomass production adds a revenue source for manufacturers.

Producers of waste can add value by channeling their garbage to create a more profitable use in
the form biomass energy.

6. Less garbage in landfills.

By burning solid waste, the amount of garbage dumped in landfills is reduced by 60 to 90
percent, and reduces the cost of landfill disposal and amount of land required for landfill.

Second-generation biofuels which are produced from non-food plants or waste reduce
competition with food production, but may have other negative effects including trade-offs with
conservation areas and local air pollution. Relatively sustainable sources of biomass include algae,
waste, and crops grown on soil unsuitable for food production. If the biomass source is agricultural
or municipal waste, burning it or converting it into biogas provides a way to dispose of this waste.

Carbon capture and storage technology can be used to capture emissions from bioenergy power
plants. This process is known as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and can
result in net carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. However, BECCS can also result in net
positive emissions depending on how the biomass material is grown, harvested, and transported.
Deployment of BECCS at scales described in some climate change mitigation pathways would

While the advantages of biomass energy are plenty, there are also some shortcomings,
including:

1. Biomass energy is not as efficient as fossil fuels

Some biofuels, like Ethanol, is relatively inefficient as compared to gasoline. In fact, it has to
be fortified with fossil fuels to increase its efficiency.

2. It is not entirely clean

While biomass is carbon neutral, the use of animal and human waste escalates the amount of
methane gases, which are also damaging to the environment. Additionally, the pollution
created from burning wood and other natural materials can be considered just as bad as that
resulting from burning coal and other types of energy resources.

3. Can lead to deforestation.

Since wood is one of the most used source of biomass energy, vast amounts of wood and other
waste products have to be burned to produce the desired amount of power. While currently
there is enough wood waste already, there is a risk of deforestation in the future.

4. Biomass plants require a lot of space.

While it’s difficult to find a plant that is in a convenient place in an urban area, utilizing
onsite hardware like the BioMax® technology, companies can create biomass energy at a
fraction of the space of a large facility.

6. Marine or Ocean energy (Wave energy)

Ocean energy derives from technologies that use the kinetic and thermal energy of seawater - waves or
currents for instance - to produce electricity or heat.

Ocean energy systems are still at an early stage of development, with a number of prototype wave and
tidal current devices being explored. The theoretical potential for ocean energy easily exceeds present
human energy requirements.

Marine energy has the smallest share of the energy market. It includes tidal power, which is
approaching maturity, and wave power, which is earlier in its development. Two tidal barrage
systems in France and in South Korea make up 90% of global production. While single marine
energy devices pose little risk to the environment, the impacts of larger devices are less well
known.

Wave Energy Advantages

 Renewable
 Environment Friendly
 Abundant and Widely Available
 Variety of Ways To Harness
 Predictable
 Less Dependency on Foreign Oil Companies
 No Damage to Land
 Reliable
 Vast Amounts of Energy can be Produced.
 Offshore Harnessing of Wave Power
 Small Footprint
 Size Advantage
 Minimum Visual Impact
 Efficient Energy Production
 Low Operational Cost and Fewer Maintenance Issues

Wave Energy Disadvantages

 Suitable to Certain Locations
 Effect on Marine Ecosystem
 Source of Disturbance for Private and Commercial Vessels
 Wavelength
 Weak Performance in Rough Weather
 Noise and Visual Pollution
 High Costs
 Hard To Scale
 Slow Technology Improvements
 Difficult To Transmit
 Few Implemented
Non-renewable energy sources

The term nonrenewable resource refers to a natural substance that is not replenished with the
speed at which it is consumed. As such, a nonrenewable resource is a finite resource. Humans
constantly draw on the reserves of these substances while the formation of new supplies takes
eons (long span of geologic time).

There are four major types of nonrenewable resources:

i. Oil
ii. Natural gas
iii. Coal
iv. Nuclear energy

Oil, natural gas, and coal are collectively called fossil fuels. Fossil fuels were formed within the
Earth from dead plants and animals over millions of years—hence the name “fossil” fuels.
Types of Non-Renewable Resources

The two broad categories of non-renewable resources are fossil fuels and nuclear energy (from
uranium ore).

1. Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels are formed due to the continuous heating and compressing of organic matter
buried beneath the earth’s surface. The organic matter mainly comprises of plant and animal
remains that have decomposed, heated, and compressed over millions of years to form fossil
deposits. The deposits are extracted through drilling or mining, and they can be in liquid, gas, or
solid form. Fossil fuels are highly combustible, making them a rich source of energy. Examples of
fossil fuels include:

Crude oil

Crude oil, also referred to as petroleum oil, is the only non-renewable resource that is
extracted in liquid form. It is found between the layers of the earth’s crust, or between the rocks,
and it is retrieved by drilling a vertical well into the ground and ocean floor.
The crude oil is then pumped out to the surface, taken through a refinery, and then used to create
different products. It used to produce gasoline and diesel to power motor vehicles and manufacture
plastics, heating oil, propane, and jet fuel, as well as artificial food flavors.

With oil reserves being used up more quickly than new oil fields are discovered, scientists predict
that the current oil reserves may not last beyond the middle of the 21st century.

Natural gas

Natural gas is a gaseous non-renewable resource that is found below the earth’s crust but near
crude oil deposits in the subsurface. Natural gas primarily consists of methane, but may also
contain other forms of natural gas such as propane, ethane, and butane.

Methane is odorless, and it is mixed with a special additive to give it an odor for easy detection in
case there is gas leakage. Once natural gas is extracted, it is sent to processing plants to remove
propane and butane, which are used as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Natural gas is used for
heating homes, as well as for cooking in gas ovens, stoves, and grills.

Coal

Coal is created by compressed organic matter, and it contains carbon and hydrocarbon matter. It
is formed from plant-filled swamps that have been covered by sediments for millions of years.
Coal is extracted by digging up the ground and taking out the coal solids for processing into energy.

The main types of coal are anthracite, lignite, bituminous coal, and sub-bituminous coal.
Bituminous is found in the United States. It contains 45% to 86% of carbon. It has a high heat
content and is used in generating energy and in making steel and iron.

Anthracite contains 86% to 97% carbon, and it has the highest heating value. It is much harder to
find than the other types of coal and is used in the metal industry.

Lignite, the indigenous coal mostly found in Pakistan is a comparatively young coal geologically
speaking and has the lowest carbon content of just 25-35 percent and also the lowest heat value of
only 6,000-10,000 BTUs per pound. (A British thermal unit (Btu) is a measure of the heat content
of fuels or energy sources.)
2. Nuclear energy (Uranium)

Apart from fossil fuels, the other category of non-renewable resources is nuclear fuels. It
is primarily obtained through the mining and refining of uranium ore, a naturally occurring
radioactive element below the earth’s surface.

Uranium is found in small quantities, and miners often gather the uranium deposits for refining
and purification. The mineral generates power through a process known as nuclear fusion, which
creates enough pressure to run turbines and generate nuclear power. The Rössing Uranium
Mine in Namibia is the longest-running and one of the largest open pit uranium mines in the
world. It is located in the Namib Desert near the town of Arandis,

At present in Pakistan, the total nuclear installed capacity is 3530 MW, comprising of: Four nuclear
power plants at Chashma site: (C-1 (325 MW), C-2 (325 MW), C-3 (340 MW) and C-4 (340 MW).
Two nuclear power plants at Karachi site: (K-2 (1100 MW) and K-3 (1100 MW). The Karachi
Nuclear Power Plant (or KANUPP) is a large commercial nuclear power plant located at the
Paradise Point in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.

3. Hydrogen Fuel
Hydrogen is a gas that can be burned to produce heat or combined with oxygen in fuel
cells to generate electricity directly, with water being the only emissions at the point of usage. The
overall lifecycle emissions of hydrogen depend on how it is produced. Nearly all of the world's
current supply of hydrogen is created from fossil fuels. The main method is steam methane
reforming, in which hydrogen is produced from a chemical reaction between steam and methane,
the main component of natural gas. Producing one tonne of hydrogen through this process emits
6.6–9.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide. While carbon capture can remove a large fraction of these
emissions, the overall carbon footprint of hydrogen from natural gas is difficult to assess as of
2021, in part because of emissions created in the production of the natural gas itself.