Difference between conventional and non conventional sources of Energy

Conventional Energy Resources:

Convention really means tradition thus conventional resources are those resources which are being used from past by humans. But these resources are not eco friendly and their carbon particles do not combust properly. The conventional sources of Energy includes :

-Coal, petroleum natural gas are the conventional sources for Thermal power in India.

-Water is the conventional source for Hydel Power, etc

Non conventional Energy Resources are those which are recently discovered and their technology was not fully matured and is under research stage of development.

Non-conventional (or unusual) sources of energy include:

• Solar power

• Hydro-electric power (dams in rivers)

• Wind power

• Tidal power

• Ocean wave power

• Geothermal power (heat from deep under the ground)

• Ocean thermal power (the difference in heat between shallow and deep water)

• Biomass (burning of vegetation to stop it producing methane)

• Biofuel (producing ethanol (petroleum) from plants

Characteristics of Non-Conventional Resources:

These energy sources that are infinite, natural, and restorable.

They are inexhaustible.

They emit little pollution and promote green earth.

Though initial cost is high, once setup they give cheap power and have low maintenance activity.

Difference between conventional and non conventional sources of Energy

Conventional Sources	Non-Conventional Sources
Conventional energy, such as thermal powers (from coal, petroleum, and natural gas), hydel power (from high velocity of running water) are tapped and used abundantly at present.	non-conventional sources of energy (solar energy, tidal energy, geo-thermal energy, wind energy etc) are not used frequently and in large scale (commercially).
Their uses are practiced for a long time.	Their uses are comparatively more recent.
Except hydel power, the sources of thermal power i.e. other conventional energies are non renewable in nature.	But the sources of non-conventional energy are flow-resources. There is no anxiety for their exhaustion.
Except hydel power, the generation of other conventional energy produces air pollution.	But the generation of non-conventional energy does not produce air pollution.
Except hydel power, the other conventional energy is costly.	But comparatively, the non-conventional energy is much cheaper.

(Useful for UPSC General Studies, APPSC Group 1 Group 2 , Mains Material, Paper 1, Paper 4 Section 1 Section 2 Section 3, ROLE AND IMPACT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIA, GENERAL AWARENESS WITH THE MODERN TRENDS IN LIFE SCIENCES, DEVELOPMENT & ENVIRONMENT PROBLEMS)