SOLAR AND LUNAR ECLIPSES

Anywhere from four to seven times a year, our Earth, Moon and Sun line up just right to create
the cosmic-scale shadow show known as an eclipse. The Moon's orbit around Earth is tilted
relative to Earth's orbit around the Sun. This tilt is the reason why we have occasional eclipses
instead of eclipses every month.

There are two types of eclipses: lunar and solar. During a lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow obscures
the Moon. During a solar eclipse, the Moon blocks the Sun from view.

Lunar Eclipses

Lunar eclipses occur at the full moon phase. When Earth is positioned precisely between the
Moon and Sun, Earth’s shadow falls upon the surface of the Moon, dimming it and sometimes
turning the lunar surface a striking red over the course of a few hours. Each lunar eclipse is
visible from half of Earth.

There are three different types of lunar eclipses:

 Total lunar eclipse

The Moon moves into the inner part of Earth’s shadow, or the umbra. Some of the sunlight
passing through Earth’s atmosphere reaches the Moon’s surface, lighting it dimly. Colors with
shorter wavelengths ― the blues and violets ― scatter more easily than colors with longer
wavelengths, like red and orange. Because these longer wavelengths make it through Earth’s
atmosphere, and the shorter wavelengths have scattered away, the Moon appears orangish or
reddish during a lunar eclipse. The more dust or clouds in Earth’s atmosphere during the
eclipse, the redder the Moon appears.

All total eclipses start with a penumbral followed by a partial eclipse, and end with a partial
followed by a penumbral eclipse (the total eclipse is sandwiched in the middle). The penumbral
phases of the eclipse are quite difficult to see, even with a telescope. However, partial and total
eclipses are easy to observe, even with the naked eye.


Partial lunar eclipse

 An imperfect alignment of Sun, Earth and Moon results in the Moon passing through only part
of Earth's umbra. The shadow grows and then recedes without ever entirely covering the
Moon.


Penumbral eclipse

If you don’t know this one is happening, you might miss it. The Moon travels through Earth’s
penumbra, or the faint outer part of its shadow. The Moon dims so slightly that it can be
difficult to notice.

Solar Eclipses

Solar eclipses happen only at the new moon phase, when the Moon is between Earth and the
Sun. During a solar eclipse, the Moon casts a shadow on Earth, and blocks or partially blocks our
view of the Sun. Though solar eclipses happen as often as lunar eclipses, they are visible from
such a small area of Earth each time that it’s much rarer to encounter one.

In this animation, the umbra portion of the Moon’s shadow barely reaches the Earth as it traces
a path across North America.

During a total solar eclipse, the Moon’s shadow on Earth consists of two parts: the umbra,
where the Sun is completely blocked, and the penumbra, where the Sun is partially obscured.
The umbra can move across the Earth’s surface at 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) per hour or
more, while the path it sweeps out, called the path of totality, is never more than a few
hundred miles wide. That path typically stretches about a third of the way around Earth.
Everyone in the much larger penumbra can see a partial eclipse, but for a few minutes, those in
the path of totality also see a total eclipse.

That we often get such impressive solar eclipses on Earth is a lucky chance of nature. The Sun is
vastly larger than the Moon ― its diameter is about 400 times the Moon’s. But the Moon is
roughly 400 times closer to Earth. This makes it possible for the Moon to almost perfectly block
out the Sun when everything aligns.
What Happens During a Solar Eclipse?

This state of affairs won’t last forever. The Moon started its existence much closer to Earth, and
has been slowly drifting outward at the rate of about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) per year. Once it
makes it past 14,600 miles (23,500 km), it’ll appear too small from Earth to cover the Sun. But
don’t panic if you haven’t seen an eclipse yet ― you’ve got another 600-million-plus years
before that border is breached. In the meantime, you can get a preview during an annular
eclipse, when the Sun, Moon and Earth align but the Moon’s orbit places it too far away from
Earth to entirely block the disk of the Sun. During an annular eclipse, the sky takes on a twilight
cast, but some of the Sun still shows.

Types of Solar Eclipses

 Total Solar Eclipse

 Annular Solar Eclipse
 Partial Solar Eclipse
 Hybrid Solar Eclipse
Solar eclipses occur when the Sun, the Moon, and Earth line up, either fully or partially.
Depending on how they align, eclipses provide a unique, exciting view of either the Sun or the
Moon.
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow
on Earth that either fully or partially blocks the Sun’s light in some areas. This only happens
occasionally, because the Moon doesn't orbit in the exact same plane as the Sun and Earth do.
The time when they are aligned is known as eclipse season, which happens twice a year.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow
over parts of Earth and blocking the face of the Sun for observers in those locations.

Except for the fleeting moments of totality during a total solar eclipse, observers should always
use eclipse glasses or an alternative safe solar viewing method, such as a pinhole projector, to
view the Sun. This includes when watching a partial or annular eclipse, or before or after
totality for a total solar eclipse. Learn more about viewing a solar eclipse safely
Total Solar Eclipse
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely
blocking the face of the Sun. People located in the center of the Moon’s shadow when it hits
Earth will experience a total eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather
permitting, people in the path of a total solar eclipse can see the Sun’s corona, the outer
atmosphere, which is otherwise usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun. A total solar
eclipse is the only type of solar eclipse where viewers can momentarily remove their eclipse
glasses (which are not the same as regular sunglasses) for the brief period of time when the
Moon is completely blocking the Sun. The next total solar eclipse in the U.S. will be on April 8,
2024.
Annular Solar Eclipse
An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but when
it is at or near its farthest point from Earth. Because the Moon is farther away from Earth, it
appears smaller than the Sun and does not completely cover the Sun. As a result, the Moon
appears as a dark disk on top of a larger, bright disk, creating what looks like a ring around the
Moon. The next annular eclipse in the U.S. will be on Oct. 14, 2023.
Partial Solar Eclipse
A partial solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth but the Sun,
Moon, and Earth are not perfectly lined up. Only a part of the Sun will appear to be covered,
giving it a crescent shape. During a total or annular solar eclipse, people outside the area
covered by the Moon’s inner shadow see a partial solar eclipse.
Hybrid Solar Eclipse
Because Earth's surface is curved, sometimes an eclipse can shift between annular and total as
the Moon’s shadow moves across the globe. This is called a hybrid solar eclipse.
The movement along a curved path is called circular motion. You often come across circular
motion in ice skaters, blades of the fan, amusement park rides, and more. The planets also
move in circular paths. The terms rotation and revolution are closely associated with the
movement of celestial bodies. However, the two movements are different from one another.
The following article explains the key differences between rotation and revolution, the benefits
of each, and their significance.

What is Rotation?
The circular movement of an object around a centre is called rotation. The Earth and other
planets rotate around an imaginary line called the rotation axis. Since this axis passes through
the Earth’s centre, the Earth is said to spin or rotate upon itself.
Rotation can easily be understood with the example of a spinning top. It moves in circles at the
same point without changing its position.

Rotation of the Earth

The Earth’s spin around its axis is called rotation. The axis has an angle of 23½ degrees from the
normal. The Earth is tilted on its axis, which causes the northern and southern hemispheres to
lean towards and away from the Sun as per the rotation.
So, when the northern hemisphere is towards the Sun, the southern hemisphere is away from
the Sun. This difference divides the Earth into a lit-up half and a dark half, giving rise to night
and day.
Also, it must be understood that the direction of the Earth’s rotation depends entirely on the
direction of viewing. So, when the Earth is viewed down from the North Pole, it is seen to spin
counterclockwise. Contrastingly, when looked down from the south pole, it spins in the
clockwise direction.

Benefits of Earth Rotation

Following are some of the key benefits of the rotation of Earth:

 The Earth’s rotation creates the diurnal cycle. It leads to lightness and darkness as well
as temperature and humidity fluctuations.
 It causes tides in the seas and oceans.

How does Earth’s rotation cause tides?The seas on the Earth experience high tides and low tides. The Moon’s
gravitational pull creates the tidal force.

Tides are mainly caused by the gravitational interactions of the water with other celestial bodies. The
Moon and the Sun are the two most influential bodies for tides on Earth.
When the Earth rotates around its axis, different water bodies are at different locations with respect
to the Moon and the Sun.
Consequently, the side of the Earth that faces the Moon experiences the highest tide, while the water
bodies away from the Sun or Moon experience low tides.
It must be noted the Sun is significantly larger than the Moon. So, its gravitational force is also larger
than that of the Moon. However, the Moon’s closeness to the Earth and the large distance of the Sun
from Earth cause the Moon to have the maximum influence on tides.

What is Revolution?
The term revolution is often used as a synonym for rotation but not when it concerns
astronomy.
In astronomy and its related subjects, revolution is the movement around an object in a
particular path.
The Earth’s rotation around Sun is called revolution. The Earth’s orbit around the Sun is
elliptical, i.e., it follows an elliptical path to move around the Sun. The term revolution is also
used to describe the movement of all other planets around the Sun.
Furthermore, moons also revolve around planets. Earth has a moon revolving around it, while
planets like Jupiter and Saturn have several moons revolving around them.

Revolution of the Earth

The Earth’s movement around the Sun in a fixed path is called revolution. The Earth revolves
from west to east. It has an anticlockwise direction. The Earth takes 365¼ days to complete its
one revolution around the Sun. The revolution of speed of the Earth around the Sun is 30 km/s.

Benefits of Earth’s Revolution

The primary benefit of the Earth’s revolution is the change of seasons. As stated earlier, the
Earth’s axis is not vertical. Rather it is tilted by 23.5 degrees. Consequently, the north end of the
rotational axis always points toward the North Star when the Earth revolves around the Sun.
The tilt combined with the revolution around the Sun causes seasonal changes. Throughout the
year, various parts of the Earth receive a varying amount of sunshine. While some get the Sun’s
most direct rays, others don’t. When the North Pole is toward the Sun, the northern
hemisphere has summer and the southern hemisphere experiences winter. On the contrary,
when the South Pole is toward the Sun, the conditions reverse. The following image explains
the change of seasons under the influence of Earth’s revolution.

Some Interesting Facts About Earth and Its Revolution

 The radius of the Earth is 6370 kilometres, i.e., about 3980 miles.
 The radius of the Sun is about 100 times greater than the radius of the Earth.
 One orbit of the Earth around the Sun comprises a complete year.
 The Earth’s orbit or its path of revolution around the Sun is slightly elliptical in shape.
  The ellipse has the Sun at one of the foci. An orbit of the Earth defines a plane with the
Sun.
 The average distance between the Sun and the Earth is approximately 149 million
kilometres, i.e., 93 million miles.
 The distance between the Sun and the Earth varies, ranging from about 147 million km
to 152 million km. It can be written as 92 to 95 million miles and also as +/- 1.4% from
the mean distance.
 Perihelion is when the Earth is closest to the Sun during January.
 Aphelion is when the Earth is farthest from the Sun during the month of July.
 The rotation of the Earth consists of an axis of rotation, the North Pole, the South Pole,
and the equator of the planet.
 Interestingly, the Earth completes one rotation in more than one solar day. This rotation
is because the Earth moves a little bit in its orbit and revolves around the Sun every day.
As a result, for any particular area to face the Sun more directly again, the Earth must
rotate slightly more than 360 degrees.
 The rotation of the Earth is once per day, i.e., 24 hours.
 A latitude forms a complete circle around the Earth. During the course of a day, a
specific location on the Earth moves in a circle that coincides with its latitude circle.
 The local time of day is determined as per the Sun’s position in the sky. It is the same at
all locations along a longitude line.
 At a particular time, the Sun illuminates only half of the Earth. This imaginary boundary
between the lit and the unlit halves of the Earth is termed the circle of illumination. It is
also called the terminator.

Revolution and Rotation of Planets

Planets Period of Rotation Period of Revolution Mean distance from the Sun in millions of kilometres

Mercury 59 days 88 days 57.9

Venus 243 days 224.7 days 108.2

Earth 23 hr, 56 min, 4 sec 365.2 days 149.6

 Mars 24 hr, 37 min 687 days 227.9

Jupiter 9 hr, 55 min, 30 sec 11.86 years 778.3

Saturn 10 hr, 40 min, 24 sec 29.46 years 1,427

Uranus 16.8 hours 84 years 2,870

Neptune 16 hr, 11 min 165 years 4,497

Difference Between Revolution and Rotation

The following table provides the main differences between rotation and revolution:

Rotation Revolution

Movement of a body on its axis. It is the

Definition A complete round trip around a body.
spinning action.

Axis Internal External

Change in Position No Yes

With respect to The rotation of the Earth is the process of it The movement of the Earth or other planets
Earth spinning around its axis. around the Sun.

Consequences Earth’s rotation causes day and night. Earth’s revolution causes seasons.
 The Earth takes 24 hours for a complete The Earth takes 365 days for a complete
Time
rotation around its axis. revolution around the Sun.

Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted 23.5 degrees The Earth’s path around the Sun is an
Angle
from normal. elliptical orbit.

Conclusion
The knowledge of Earth’s rotation and revolution is vital to understanding astronomy. While
rotation refers to the spinning of an object around its own axis, moving around another object
is revolution. The Earth performs both rotation and revolution. It takes 24 hours or one day to
complete a rotation, but one complete revolution consumes 365 ¼ days.

An imperfect alignment of Sun, Earth and Moon results in the Moon passing through only part
of Earth's umbra. The shadow grows and then recedes without ever entirely covering the
Moon.

Solstice, either of the two moments in the year when the Sun’s apparent path is farthest north
or south from Earth’s Equator. In the Northern Hemisphere the summer solstice occurs on June
20 or 21 and the winter solstice on December 21 or 22. The situation is exactly the opposite in
the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are reversed. At the winter solstice the day is the
year’s shortest, and at the summer solstice it is the year’s longest. The term solstice also is used
in reference to either of the two points of greatest deviation of the ecliptic (the Sun’s apparent
annual path) from the celestial equator.

Difference Between Summer and Winter Solstice

Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice are used to describe the shortest and longest days of the
summer and winter seasons.

The summer solstice occurs when one of the Earth’s poles (North pole) has its maximum tilt
toward the Sun.
The winter solstice or hibernal solstice occurs when one of the Earth’s poles (North Pole) has
its maximum tilt away from the Sun.

The following table will highlight the differences between summer and winter solstice

Difference Between Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice

Summer Solstice Winter Solstice
Summer solstice occurs when the North Pole is tilted closest to Winter solstice occurs when the North Pole is tilted
the Sun farthest from the sun

It occurs on 21st June It occurs on 22nd December

The summer solstice brings the longest day in the Northern Winter solstice brings the longest night in the
Hemisphere, as it is tilted towards the sun. Northern Hemisphere as it is tilted away from the
sun

Southern Hemisphere has the shortest night Southern Hemisphere has the longest days

Sun rays directly fall over Tropic of Cancer Sun rays directly fall over Tropic of Capricorn

The places beyond the Arctic circle experience continuous The places beyond the Antarctic circle experience
daylight for about six months continuous daylight for about six months

As a large portion of the Northern Hemisphere receives As a large portion of the Southern Hemisphere
sunlight and heat during the summer solstice, it summers in receives sunlight and heat during the winter solstice,
Northern Hemisphere; whereas winters in Southern it is summer in Southern Hemisphere, whereas
Hemisphere summers in Northern Hemisphere

Although the summer solstice is the longest day of the year for Although the winter solstice itself lasts only a
the Northern Hemisphere, the dates of the earliest sunrise and moment, the term sometimes refers to the day on
latest sunset vary by a few days. which it occurs.

This is because the Earth orbits the Sun in an ellipse,

and its orbital speed varies slightly during the year
Although the Sun appears at its highest altitude from the
viewpoint of an observer in outer space or a terrestrial
observer outside tropical latitudes, the highest altitude occurs
on a different day for certain locations in the tropics.
Traditionally, in many temperate regions, the winter
solstice is seen as the middle of winter, but today in
some countries and calendars, it is seen as the
beginning of winter.

What is an equinox?
Twice a year, day and night are about the same length in both the Southern and Northern
Hemispheres. This phenomenon is called an equinox, which comes from the Latin words
"aequus" (equal) and "nox" (night).

HAT CAUSES AN EQUINOX?

The Earth orbits the sun, at a tilt of about 23.5 degrees. This means that different parts of our
planet receive more or less of the sun's radiation at various times of the year, depending on our
planet's position in its orbit.
For all countries around the globe, the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. However, the
sun also appears to move north for half of the year and south for the other half, depending on
where you are. Around July, the Northern Hemisphere experiences longer periods of daylight
while the Southern Hemisphere sees shorter periods of daylight. And, around December, the
opposite is true, with more daylight hours in the Southern Hemisphere and fewer in the
Northern Hemisphere.

But twice a year — in March and September — our planet's tilt aligns with its orbit around
the sun, and Earth does not appear to tilt with respect to the sun, according to the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
At this time of year, the sun sits directly above the equator and both hemispheres get the same
hours of daylight and night. At these times, the line that divides night and day, called the
terminator, "grey line" or "twilight zone," bisects the Earth and runs through the north and
south poles.

"On the equinox and for several days before and after the equinox, the length of day will range
from about 12 hours and 6 and one-half minutes at the equator, to 12 hours and 8 minutes at
30 degrees latitude, to 12 hours and 16 minutes at 60 degrees latitude," according to the U.S.
National Weather Service.
WHEN DO THE EQUINOXES HAPPEN?
Equinoxes don't necessarily occur on the same day each year, rather they happen around or on
March 20 and Sept. 23.

These shifting dates are because an Earth year is not exactly 365 days: There is an extra quarter
of a day (6 hours) that accumulates each year, causing the date of the equinox to shift. The
planet's orientation towards the sun is also constantly shifting, tweaking the timing of the
equinox.

The equinoxes mark the astronomical beginning of spring or autumn, depending on the
hemisphere. However, the meteorological beginning of these seasons is March 1 and Sept. 1.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the March equinox heralds the beginning of spring and is referred
to as the spring or vernal equinox (vernal comes from the Latin term "ver" for spring). At the
same time, the Southern Hemisphere shifts into autumn. The converse is true in September
when the northern half of the planet descends into the colder months of autumn and the
southern half enters spring.

Earth is not alone in experiencing equinoxes. In fact, every planet in the solar system has them
when the planet's orbit and tilt with respect to the sun result in both hemispheres receiving
roughly equal amounts of light.

THE GLOBAL WIND AND PRESSURE PATTERN

• The global wind pattern is also known as the "general circulation” and the surface winds of
each hemisphere are divided into three wind belts:
1. Polar Easterlies: From 60-90 degrees latitude.
2. Tropical Easterlies: From 0-30 degrees latitude aka Trade
Winds).
3. Prevailing Westerlies: From 30-60 degrees latitude (aka
Westerlies).

The Four Major Wind Systems and Wind Belts

1. Polar Easterlies
Polar Easterlies can be found at the north and south poles and they are cold and dry because of
where it is located, which is at high latitudes.
• This type of wind system forms when cool air, at the poles, and then transfers to the equator.
• Polar Easterlies are located 60-90 degrees latitude in both the southern and northern
hemispheres.

2. Tropical Easterlies
Tropical Easterlies take direction in an east-to-west flow because of the rotation of the Earth.
• As air from the equator rises, it gets warmer and when it cools down, it comes back down to
the equator.
• Tropical easterlies are located at 0-30 degrees latitude in both hemispheres.

3. Prevailing Westerlies
Prevailing Westerlies are located in the
30-60 degrees latitude in the northern and southern hemispheres. They blow from west to east
and occur in the clement part of the Earth.
• About 30° north and south of the equator, the warm, moist air that rose vertically cools and
begins to sink.
• There are few clouds and little rainfall. Winds are calm.
• These are called the horse latitudes, because when food ran out, sailors had to throw horses
overboard
• Deserts, such as the Sahara in Africa, are also common at 30°N and 30°S.
• At the horse latitudes some of the sinking air travels back toward the equator.
• The air moving back toward the equator forms warm, steady winds, known as the trade
winds.
• The rising air at the equatorial regions and the sinking air at about 30°N and 30°S form huge
convection current, known as a Hadley cell for the English meteorologist who first proposed
their existence to explain the trade winds.

4. Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

The Intertropical Convergence Zone is also known as Equatorial Convergence
Zone or the Intertropical Front.
• It forms when southeast and northeast trade winds converge
in a low-pressure zone, near the equator.

• Doldrums, also called equatorial calms, are equatorial regions of light ocean currents and
winds within the Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), a belt of converging winds and rising air
encircling Earth near the Equator
• The trade winds or easterlies are the permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in
the Earth's equatorial region (between
30°N and 30°S latitudes).
• The horse latitudes are regions located at about 30 degrees north and south of the equator.
These latitudes are characterized by calm winds and little precipitation

Global Pressure Patterns

Centered approximately over the equator in our model is a belt of low pressure, or a trough.
Because this is the region on Earth with the greatest annual heating, we can conclude that the
low pressure of this area, the equatorial low (equatorial trough), is determined primarily by
thermal factors, which cause the air to rise.
• North and south of the equatorial low and centered on the so-called horse latitudes, about
30°N and 30°S, are cells of relatively high pressure.
These are the subtropical highs, which are the result of dynamic factors related to the sinking of
convectional cells initiated at the equatorial low.
• Poleward of the subtropical highs in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are large
belts of low pressure that extend through the upper-middle latitudes.
Pressure decreases through these subpolar lows until about 65°
Again, dynamic factors play a role in the existence of sub-polar lows.
• In the polar regions are high-pressure systems called the polar highs.
• The extremely cold temperatures and consequent sinking of the dense polar air in those
regions create the higher pressures found there.
This system of pressure belts that we have just developed is a generalized picture.
Just as temperatures change from month to month, day to day, and hour to hour, so do
pressures vary through time at any one place.
• Our long-term global model disguises these smaller changes, but it does give an idea of broad
pressure patterns on the surface of the Earth
ENERGY SOURCES
1. Non-renewable energy resources cannot be replaced - once they are used up, they will not
be restored (or not for millions of years).

2. A renewable resource is a natural resource which will replenish to replace the portion
depleted by usage and consumption, either through natural reproduction or other recurring
processes in a finite amount of time in a human time scale.
NON RENEWABLE ENERGY
• Non renewable energy resources cannot be replaced - once they are used up, they will not be
restored (• Non-renewable energy resources include fossil fuels and nuclear power.

Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) were formed from animals and plants that lived hundreds
of millions of years ago (before the time of the dinosaurs).

Fossil fuels are formed when organic matter buried deep within the earth is subject to heat and
pressure over millions of years.
• Burning fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide - one of the greenhouse gases.
• Burning coal - one of the fossil fuels - produces not just carbon dioxide but also releases sulfur
into the air, which increases air pollution.

Uses of Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) are our primary sources of energy including:
 Electricity generation
 Heating
 Transportation

Uses of Coal

 Steel Production
 Cement Manufacturing
 Liquid Fuel
Nuclear Energy
• Nuclear power plants use low-enriched uranium fuel to produce electricity through a process
called fission -The splitting of uranium atoms in a nuclear reactor.
• A single uranium pellet, slightly larger than a pencil eraser, contains the same energy as:
• A ton of coal,
• 3 barrels of oil,
• 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas.
Each uranium fuel pellet provides up to five years of heat for power generation.
And because uranium is one of the world's most abundant metals, it can provide fuel for the
world's commercial nuclear plants for generations to come.

Nuclear power offers many benefits for the environment as well. Power plants don't burn any
materials so they produce no combustion by-products. Additionally, because they don't produce
greenhouse gases, nuclear plants help protect air quality and mitigate climate change.
Currently, nuclear energy supplies 12 percent of the world's electricity and approximately 20
percent of the energy in the United States.
RENEWABLE ENERGY

A renewable resource is a natural resource which will replenish to replace the portion depleted
by usage and consumption, either through natural reproduction or other recurring processes in a
finite amount of time in a human time scale.

These sustainable energy sources are often called "alternative energy" because they're
considered to be an alternative to
traditional fossil fuels such as oil and coal

Solar Energy
Sunlight is a renewable resource, and its most direct use is achieved by capturing the sun's
energy.
• A variety of solar energy technologies are used to convert the sun's energy and light into heat
• Photovoltaic (PV) systems use solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity.
• Solar hot water systems can be used to heat buildings by circulating water through flat-plate
solar collectors.
• Mirrored dishes that are focused to boil water in a conventional steam generator can produce
electricity by concentrating the sun's heat.

• Commercial and industrial buildings can also leverage the sun's energy for larger-scale needs
such as ventilation, heating, and cooling.

Advantages
 Renewable & Pollution Free
 Reduce Electricity Bill
 Less to No maintenance in Years
 More Solar Energy in Summer
 Diverse Application
 Can be stored in Battery

Disadvantages
 Needs a lot of Space
 High Initial Cost
  No Solar Power at night & cloudy days.
 Less Solar Energy in Winter
 DC Equipment is expensive
 Expensive Batter

Wind Energy
The terms "wind energy" and "wind power" both describe the process by which the wind is used
to generate mechanical power or electricity
Wind turbines work on a simple principle: instead of using electricity to make wind-like fan-wind
turbines use wind to make electricity. Wind turns the propeller-like blades of a turbine around a
rotor, which spins a generator, which creates electricity.

Wind turbines first emerged more than a century ago. Following the invention of the electric
generator in the 1830s, engineers started attempting to harness wind energy to produce
electricity. Wind power generation took place in the United Kingdom and the United States in
1887 and 1888, but modern wind power is considered to have been first developed in Denmark

The amount of power that can be harvested from wind depends on the size of the turbine and
the length of its blades. The output is proportional to the dimensions of the rotor and to the cube
of the wind speed. Theoretically, when wind speed doubles, wind power potential increases by a
factor of eight.

Advantages
1. Clean Energy: Obtaining energy from the wind emits zero emissions into the atmosphere,
providing a clean alternative to fossil fuels, which contribute significantly to dangerously high
levels of atmospheric CO2.
2. Less Space is Needed: Wind turbines take up much less space than what is required for a
single power station, and the surrounding land can continue to be used for other purposes
including agriculture.
3. Renewable Energy: Unlike fossil fuels, the wind will not run out, and can provide the planet
with a limitless supply of "free" power.
4. Generate Energy in Remote Locations: In remote mountainous or countryside regions,
utilizing wind power can prove a much cheaper and more convenient source of energy.
Disadvantages
1. Unreliability: The main issue concerned with power from the wind, is that of its unrealiability.
Wind strength cannot be controlled and in some areas it is just not a viable source of power.
2. Lower Electricity Output: Wind power generates significantly less electricity than its fossil fuel
equivalent, meaning more turbines are required to generate the same amount of power. Wind
turbines are also highly inefficient in terms of output capacity.
3. Expensive Construction Process: Wind turbines are costly to build with one turbine costing up
to $1 million per MW of nameplate capacity installed.
4. Costly to surrounding wildlife: With demand for renewable and cleaner energy sources
growing it is likely that the need for land for windfarms will increase, which will potentially
damage a high percentage of local wildlife in the process. It is also estimated that each wind
turbine kills over 4 birds a year.
5. Noise Pollution: The noise produced from a singular wind turbine is similar to that of a small
jet engine and can be a cause of major concern for those living near a wind farm.

Hydro Power
• Hydropower is energy derived from flowing water. Today it is among the most cost-effective
means of generating electricity and is often the preferred method where available.
• In Norway, for example, 99% of electricity comes from hydropower.
• Small-scale micro-hydropower projects can make a big difference to communities in remote
locations.

hydropower plants consist of two basic configurations, which are as under:

i. With dams and reservoirs ii. Without damns and reservoirs
1. Hydropower dams with large reservoirs can store water over short or long periods to meet
peak demand.
2. Hydropower without dams and reservoirs means producing at a smaller scale, typically from a
facility designed to operate in a river without interfering with its flow.
For this reason, many consider small-scale hydro a more environmentally friendly option.

Geothermal Energy
• It is heat derived within the sub-surface of the earth.
• Water and/or steam carry the geothermal energy to the Earth's surface.
• Depending on its characteristics, geothermal energy can be used for heating and cooling
purposes or be harnessed to generate clean electricity
• Geothermal power plants harness these heat sources to generate electricity

• On a much smaller scale, a geothermal heat pump system can leverage the constant
temperature of the ground found just 10 feet under the surface to help supply heat to a nearby
building in the winter or to help cool it in the summer.
• Geothermal energy can be part of a commercial utility energy solution on a large scale or can
be part of a sustainable practice on a local level.

• Direct uses of geothermal energy include

1. Heating office buildings or manufacturing plants;
2. Helping to grow greenhouse plants;
3 Heating water at fish farms;
4. Aiding various industrial processes (e.g., pasteurizing milk)
• Energy conservation involves using less energy by adjusting your behaviors and habits.
• Energy efficiency, on the other hand, involves using technology that requires less energy to
perform the same function

1. Industrialists to conduct energy audits

2. Prevent leakages to save energy
3. Use energy savers
4. Devise energy conservation

Energy Conservation in the Transport Sector

1. Switch off engines during traffic signals
2. Get your vehicle tuned in properly to reduce fuel consumption
3. Use catalytic converters in cars
4. Carpooling wherever possible