- 2070 Asar · 3 marks
Conventional and non-conventional sources
Short answer
Conventional sources are long-used, mostly finite and polluting: coal, oil, natural gas, large hydro, nuclear, firewood. Non-conventional sources are newer, renewable, decentralised and low-pollution: solar, wind, biomass, small/micro-hydro, geothermal, tidal, hydrogen. In Nepal, AEPC promotes biogas, micro-hydro, solar, improved cookstoves and wind.
What are the conventional and non-conventional energy sources?
Conventional energy sources are those that have been used for a long time and are widely used in commercial energy supply. They are mostly finite and fossil-based. Examples: coal, petroleum (oil), natural gas, large hydropower, nuclear (fission), and traditional firewood.
Non-conventional (new and renewable) energy sources are the newer sources that are mostly renewable, are decentralised and have been commercialised only recently. Examples: solar (thermal and PV), wind, biomass and biogas, small and micro-hydro, geothermal, tidal and wave, and hydrogen / fuel cells.
| Point | Conventional | Non-conventional |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Finite (mostly) | Renewable (mostly) |
| Pollution | High (CO₂, SO₂, ash) | Low or none |
| Scale | Large, centralised | Small, decentralised |
| Cost | Fuel cost high, mature | Capital cost higher, no fuel cost |
| Use | Widely used | Growing use |
| Example | Coal, oil | Solar, wind |
In Nepal, conventional sources are petroleum, coal and large hydropower; non-conventional sources are promoted by AEPC (Alternative Energy Promotion Centre): biogas, micro-hydro, solar, improved cookstoves and wind.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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