Energy Resources of India: Coal, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Hydro, Nuclear and Renewable Energy with Locations for SSC

Energy is the base of the economy, and the questions on the energy resources of India are mostly about locations: which coalfield is in which state, where is the oil field and which are the nuclear power plants. This guide on energy resources of India for SSC gives all these in tables, with renewable energy and practice questions.

Coal

• Coal is the most important source of commercial energy in India; Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh are the largest producers.
• Types by carbon content: anthracite (the best, over 90%), bituminous (70–90%, the most widely used), lignite (about 40–60%, brown coal) and peat (the lowest).
• Most Indian coal is bituminous and belongs to the Gondwana period; lignite and some coal belong to the Tertiary period.

Petroleum and Natural Gas

• The Hazira–Bijaipur–Jagdishpur (HBJ) gas pipeline is among the longest gas pipelines of India.
• Natural gas is a clean fossil fuel; CNG is compressed natural gas.
• ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) was set up in 1956 and is the largest producer of crude oil in India; Oil India Limited operates in Assam.

Hydroelectric Power

Hydropower is a clean and renewable source, but large dams cause displacement. The Himalayan states have the largest potential.

Nuclear Power

• The Atomic Energy Commission was set up in 1948 and the Department of Atomic Energy in 1954; Homi J. Bhabha was the architect of India’s nuclear programme.
• Kerala’s monazite sands are rich in thorium; India has about a quarter of the world’s thorium reserves.
• India’s three-stage nuclear programme uses uranium, then plutonium and finally thorium.
• Uranium is mined in Jaduguda (Jharkhand).

Renewable Energy

• India has set a target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2070.
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) looks after the renewable sector.
• Solar and wind are called non-conventional sources; coal, oil and gas are conventional sources.

Tricks to Remember

• Jharia is the best coking coal field; Raniganj is the oldest; Neyveli is for lignite.
• Digboi is the first oil well; Mumbai High is the biggest.
• Tarapur is the first nuclear plant; Kudankulam is the largest.
• Tehri is the highest dam; Hirakud is the longest dam.

Quick Tips

• Learn the coalfields with their states.
• Remember the first and the largest in each category.
• Learn the nuclear plants with their states.
• Know the targets of India for renewable energy.

Quick Revision Points

• Jharia is the largest coking coalfield; Raniganj is the oldest.
• Digboi is the first oil well; Mumbai High is the largest oil field.
• Jamnagar is the largest refinery.
• Tarapur is the first nuclear power station.
• The International Solar Alliance is headquartered at Gurugram.

Practice Questions With Answers

1. Where is the Jharia coalfield?
   Answer: Jharkhand
2. Which is the oldest coalfield in India?
   Answer: Raniganj (West Bengal)
3. Where was the first oil well in India drilled?
   Answer: Digboi (Assam)
4. Which is the largest oil-producing field in India?
   Answer: Mumbai High
5. Which is the first nuclear power station in India?
   Answer: Tarapur
6. Which is the largest lignite field?
   Answer: Neyveli (Tamil Nadu)
7. Which is the highest dam in India?
   Answer: Tehri Dam
8. Where is Kudankulam nuclear plant?
   Answer: Tamil Nadu
9. Which is the largest refining complex in the world located in India?
   Answer: Jamnagar (Gujarat)
10. Where is the headquarters of the International Solar Alliance?
    Answer: Gurugram

How to Practise This Chapter

Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Indian Geography notes page, read the previous topic Atmosphere, Winds and Pressure Belts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the best quality coal?

Anthracite.

Which coal is most commonly found in India?

Bituminous coal.

Which is the largest coalfield?

Jharia (coking coal) in Jharkhand.

Where was the first oil discovered in India?

At Digboi in Assam, in 1889.

What is Mumbai High?

The largest offshore oil field of India in the Arabian Sea.

Which is the largest refinery?

The Reliance refinery at Jamnagar.

Which is the first nuclear power plant in India?

Tarapur in Maharashtra.

Which is the largest nuclear power plant?

Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.

Which dam is the highest?

Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand.

What is the International Solar Alliance?

An alliance of sunshine countries launched by India and France in 2015, with its headquarters at Gurugram.

What is the target for non-fossil capacity?

500 GW by 2030.

Is this topic asked in SSC?

Yes. Locations of energy resources are asked in geography every year.