📊 Two Types of Energy
- Finite stocks; not replenished on a human time-scale
- Examples: Coal, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Thermal, Nuclear, Shale Gas
- Installed capacity (around July 2026): Fossil-fuel based: ~251.5 GW (~46%)
- Naturally replenished on a human time-scale
- Examples: Biogas, Solar, Geo-thermal, Tidal, Hydro
- Installed capacity (around July 2026): Renewable: 291.73 GW (31 July 2026)
🏆 Master Quick Reference — All Energy Types
| Energy |
Nick/Key Fact |
India Rank |
Top States |
| Coal |
Black Diamond; Fossil Fuel |
— |
Odisha > Jharkhand > Chhattisgarh (2024–25) |
| Petroleum |
Black Gold; oldest operating oilfield = Digboi |
— |
Gujarat > Rajasthan > Assam (onshore, 2023–24) |
| Natural Gas |
Cleaner-burning fossil fuel; not zero-carbon; KG Basin |
— |
Assam & Arunachal Pradesh > Rajasthan > Tripura (onshore, 2023–24) |
| Thermal |
Coal/lignite: 69.54% of electricity supplied, Apr–Jun 2026 |
— |
Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP |
| Nuclear |
Uranium = Metal of Hope; nuclear capacity 8.78 GW (July 2026) |
— |
7 plants across India |
| Solar |
Very low operational emissions; Bhadla Solar Park |
3rd largest |
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra (30 Jun 2026) |
| Wind |
First grid-connected wind farm: Mullaikkadu near Tuticorin (Jan 1986) |
4th largest |
Gujarat, TN, Karnataka |
| Tidal |
12,455 MW potential |
— |
Gulf of Khambhat, Kutch, Hooghly |
| Biomass |
Jatropha → biodiesel |
— |
Maharashtra, UP, Karnataka |
| Geo-thermal |
1st project = Ladakh (Puga) |
— |
Ladakh, HP, CG |
| Hydro |
57.24 GW installed (large + small hydro; 31 July 2026) |
5th largest |
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka |
| Hydrogen |
Energy carrier; high specific energy by mass; mission announced 2021 |
— |
Green-hydrogen target: ≥5 MMT/year by 2030 |
🚨 EXAM TRAP — Global Ranks
- Solar = 3rd largest globally | Wind = 4th largest globally | Hydro = 5th largest
- Thermal = 69.54% (coal/lignite supply, Apr–Jun 2026) of India's total power (most)
- Geological coal resources #1 = Odisha (1 Apr 2025) | Production #1 = Odisha (2024–25)
- Petroleum is called "black gold", while coal is called "black diamond".
🖤 Coal
| Type |
Carbon % |
Found In |
| Anthracite |
80–90% (Best) |
Jammu & Kashmir |
| Bituminous |
60–80% (Most in India) |
MP, Odisha, CG, Jharkhand |
| Lignite |
40–60% |
Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal |
| Peat |
<50% (Lowest) |
Low-lying areas |
Gondwana Region (98% production):
- Jharia — principal coking-coal field
-
Raniganj (WB)
- JH–WB coal belt
Tertiary Coal Region:
- Assam, Meghalaya
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Nagaland
Odisha, JH, CG (1 Apr 2025)
Top 3 Reserves States
Odisha, JH, CG (2024–25)
Top 3 Producing States
🛢️ Petroleum & Oil Refineries
- India's oldest operating oilfield: Digboi, Assam
- Early crude pipelines: Digboi field–refinery (1901); major Assam–Guwahati line (1962), extended to Barauni (1964)
- Major areas: Mumbai High, Ankleshwar (Gujarat), Digboi (Assam)
- Top producers: Gujarat > Rajasthan > Assam (onshore, 2023–24)
Oil Refineries:
| Sector |
Refineries |
| Public |
Guwahati, Barauni★, Koyali, Haldia, Mathura, Digboi |
| Ownership note |
Bina = BPCL public sector; Bathinda = HMEL joint venture |
| Private |
Jamnagar, SEZ Jamnagar, Vadinar |
- Cleaner-burning fossil fuel; not zero-carbon; can occur with petroleum fields
- Major reserves: Krishna-Godavari Basin (KG Basin), Gulf of Khambhat
- Top producers: Assam & Arunachal Pradesh > Rajasthan > Tripura (onshore, 2023–24)
- HVJ Pipeline: Hazira–Vijaipur–Jagdishpur — Landmark cross-country natural-gas pipeline, commissioned 1987
Shale Gas:
- Found between sedimentary rocks
- Abundant in: Cambay, KG, Cauvery, Assam, Ganga and Gondwana/Damodar; Bengal also studied
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Barauni oil refinery = Bihar (public sector) — BPSC most asked!
- Major Assam crude pipeline: Guwahati section 1962, extended to Barauni, Bihar in 1964; Digboi field–refinery line operated from 1901
- Digboi = India's first oil reserve (Assam)
- Shale gas occurs within fine-grained sedimentary rocks, not igneous rocks.
- Onshore natural gas (2023–24): Assam & Arunachal Pradesh group → Rajasthan → Tripura
🌡️ Thermal Power
- Share: ~69.54% (coal/lignite supply, Apr–Jun 2026) of total power of India
- Type: Coal-based (most used)
- Installed capacity: Coal/lignite generation capacity: about 230.8 GW, around July 2026 — June 2025
Top States by Thermal Capacity:
1. Maharashtra
2. Gujarat
3. Uttar Pradesh
☢️ Nuclear / Atomic Energy — Uranium: Metal of Hope
- Uranium is popularly called “Metal of Hope”
- Minerals: Uranium, Thorium, Monazite (Kerala), Beryllium
- Father of Atomic Energy in India: Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha
- Installed capacity: 8.78 GW (July 2026)
| Power Plant |
State |
Note |
| Tarapur |
Maharashtra |
First nuclear power plant in India |
| Rawatbhata |
Rajasthan |
— |
| Kalpakkam |
Tamil Nadu |
— |
| Kakrapar |
Gujarat |
— |
| Narora |
Uttar Pradesh |
— |
| Kaiga |
Karnataka |
— |
| Kudankulam |
Tamil Nadu |
Largest nuclear plant |
| Kovvada |
Andhra Pradesh |
Proposed project |
⚡ QUICK RECALL — Nuclear Plants State-wise
- MH = Tarapur (first) | RJ = Rawatbhata | TN = Kalpakkam + Kudankulam
- GJ = Kakrapar | UP = Narora | KA = Kaiga | AP = Kovvada (proposed)
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- First nuclear plant = Tarapur (Maharashtra) — NOT Kalpakkam
- Nuclear father India = Dr. Homi J. Bhabha (NOT Sarabhai)
- Tamil Nadu has TWO nuclear plants: Kalpakkam + Kudankulam
- Kovvada = proposed (NOT yet operational)
- Thermal = 69.54% (coal/lignite supply, Apr–Jun 2026) (HIGHEST share) | Nuclear = only 8.78 GW
☀️ Solar Energy — 3rd Largest Globally
- Type: Renewable energy; very low operational air emissions
- Source: Sun
- India = 3rd largest country by installed solar-power capacity in world
- Landmark single-location solar project: Kamuthi, Tamil Nadu — 648 MW
- Largest Solar Park: Bhadla Solar Park, Rajasthan
Top States by Installed Capacity:
1. Rajasthan
2. Gujarat
3. Maharashtra
4. Tamil Nadu
💨 Wind Energy — 4th Largest Globally
- India = 4th largest in installed wind capacity globally
- India's first grid-connected wind farm: Mullaikkadu near Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu (Jan 1986)
- Largest Wind Farm Cluster: Muppandal Cluster, Tamil Nadu
Top States by Installed Capacity:
1. Gujarat
2. Tamil Nadu
3. Karnataka
- Sources: Cow dung, human waste, urban waste, crop residues
- Liquid fuels: Ethanol, Methanol
-
Jatropha = source of biodiesel
Top Producers:
1. Maharashtra
2. Uttar Pradesh
3. Karnataka
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Rajasthan leads installed solar capacity, while Gujarat leads installed wind capacity in the figures used here.
- Bhadla = ~2,245 MW solar park, Rajasthan | Kamuthi = 648 MW single-location project, TN
- India's first grid-connected wind farm = Mullaikkadu near Tuticorin, TN (Jan 1986)
- Largest wind farm cluster = Muppandal (TN)
- India solar rank = 3rd | Wind rank = 4th | Hydro rank = 5th
🌊 Tidal Energy
- Potential: 12,455 MW along India's coastline
- Suitable areas:
- Gulf of Khambhat
- Gulf of Kutch
-
Estuary of Hooghly (Sundarban region)
🌋 Geo-Thermal Energy
- First 1 MW geothermal pilot site; first wells commissioned in 2026: Puga Valley, Ladakh
- Manikaran Hot-Spring / Geothermal Site — Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
-
Tatapani — Chhattisgarh
💧 Hydro Energy — India 5th Globally
- Power from: flowing / falling water (turbines)
- Installed capacity: 57.24 GW (large + small hydro) (31 July 2026)
- India rank: 5th in hydropower capacity
Important Hydro Projects:
| Project |
State |
| Tapovan Vishnugad Hydroelectric Project |
Uttarakhand |
| Tilaiya Dam Hydel Power Station |
Jharkhand |
|
Paithan Hydro Electric Project (Godavari River) |
Maharashtra |
- Hydrogen = energy carrier with very high specific energy by mass
- National Hydrogen Mission (2021)
- National Green Hydrogen Mission target: at least 5 MMT/year by 2030
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Tidal potential = 12,455 MW | Suitable: Gulf of Khambhat, Kutch, Hooghly
- First 1 MW geothermal pilot = Puga Valley, Ladakh; first wells commissioned in 2026
- Manikaran = Kullu, HP — hot-spring/geothermal site
- Hydro rank = 5th globally (Solar = 3rd, Wind = 4th)
- Tilaiya = Jharkhand hydro project — BPSC important!
📍 Bihar & Jharkhand — Energy Resources
- Location: Barauni, Bihar
- Sector: Public Sector
- Major historic Assam–Guwahati crude line (1962) was extended to Barauni in 1964; Digboi field–refinery line dates to 1901
- Connected to Assam's Naharkatiya oil fields
- This is one of the most frequently tested Bihar energy facts in BPSC examinations.
- Jharkhand = #2 geological coal resources (1 Apr 2025), after Odisha
- Jharia = principal coking-coal field coal region in India
- Major coal areas: Jharia, Bokaro, Karnpura, Chandrapura, Giridih, Rajmahal
- Gondwana coal = 98% of India's coal production
- Damodar Valley = Gondwana coal belt = JH + WB
- DVC Thermal Plants: Bokaro, Chandrapura, Koderma (Jharkhand)
- Coal → Thermal Power → supplied to Bihar + WB region
- Raniganj coal belt (WB) also near Bihar-JH corridor
- Tilaiya Dam Hydel Power Station — Jharkhand
- Barakar River — part of Damodar Valley
- Also: DVC dams generate hydroelectricity
- Shale gas deposits in Damodar Basin (JH + WB)
- Also in: Bengal Basin, Vindhya Basin
- Future energy potential for Jharkhand
⚡ BPSC MASTER RECALL — Bihar/JH Energy
- Bihar = Barauni Oil Refinery (public sector); major Assam crude pipeline extension reached Barauni in 1964
- Jharkhand = #2 geological coal resources after Odisha (1 Apr 2025)
- Jharia = principal coking-coal field coal region (Jharkhand)
- Tilaiya = hydro project, Jharkhand
- DVC thermal plants: Bokaro, Chandrapura, Koderma (JH)
- Shale gas = Damodar Basin (JH + WB)
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Barauni = Bihar (public sector refinery) — NOT Jharkhand
- Historic major Assam–Guwahati–Barauni crude system: Guwahati section 1962; Barauni extension 1964
- Geological coal resources #1 = Odisha (1 Apr 2025) | Production #1 = Odisha (2024–25)
- Tilaiya Dam in Jharkhand is a hydroelectric project on the Barakar River and is frequently tested.