Daily Answer Writing

Model Answer

Availability of Natural Gas Hydrates in India

Natural gas hydrates, an ice-like combination of methane and water, are found in shallow sediments of continental margins. In India, the estimated resources of gas hydrates are around 1,894 trillion cubic meters (tcm), located primarily in offshore areas such as the Eastern, Western, and Andaman regions. Seismic data and geological conditions suggest a high possibility of large quantities within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with significant deposits identified in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) and Mahanadi basins. The Bay of Bengal has already seen the first discovery of producible gas hydrates in the Indian Ocean, marking a major step forward in exploration.

Promise of Natural Gas Hydrates

1. Future Energy Resource: Gas hydrates are considered a potentially huge energy resource. The global gas hydrate accumulations are estimated to surpass all known conventional gas resources. If India were to produce even 10% of these reserves, it could meet its energy needs for the next century.
2. Climate-Friendly Energy: Methane, derived from gas hydrates, is a cleaner alternative compared to coal. Combustion of methane is twice as efficient as burning coal, making it a relatively climate-friendly energy source.
3. Importance for Research: Gas hydrates are vital for studies on seafloor stability. Their “melting” could lead to seafloor land slides, making their exploration critical for understanding environmental hazards.

Challenges in Exploration

1. Detection Issues: Detecting gas hydrates using seismic methods is challenging, as traditional seismic techniques often fail to accurately identify them.
2. Production Issues: Drilling gas hydrates is difficult because the solid structure can disintegrate during extraction, causing operational difficulties.
3. Geohazard and Climate Risks: The destabilization of gas hydrates can lead to underwater landslides, and rising ocean temperatures due to global warming could release methane, exacerbating climate change.

In conclusion, while natural gas hydrates offer significant promise for India’s energy future, challenges related to detection, production, and environmental concerns must be addressed for their feasible utilization.

Model Answer

Current Status of Oil and Gas Pipelines in India

Oil and gas pipelines are crucial to India’s energy infrastructure, acting as the backbone for transporting crude oil, refined products, and natural gas. As of August 2022, India boasts over 10,000 km of crude oil pipeline networks with a capacity of around 147.9 million metric tons per annum (MMTPA). Some notable pipelines include the Naharkatia-Nunmati-Barauni pipeline, the Mumbai High-Mumbai pipeline, and the Hazira-Bijaypur-Jagdishpur gas pipeline, which serve vital connections between major oil fields, refineries, and market centers across the country. India is also focusing on the future of pipeline transportation, especially with a shift towards a gas-based economy.

Advantages of Pipeline Transportation

1. Energy Efficiency: Pipelines consume minimal energy compared to other transportation methods, reducing operational costs. This efficiency also leads to minimal transit losses.
2. Cost-Effective: The construction and maintenance of pipelines are relatively economical, with running costs being significantly lower than surface transportation—about 10 times less.
3. Environmental Safety: Pipelines are considered environmentally friendly due to their lower risk of accidents and less pollution, making them safer for transporting hazardous materials like oil and gas.
4. Reduced Regional Disparities: Pipelines have enabled the establishment of refineries and fertilizer plants in inland areas like Barauni, Mathura, and Jagdishpur, helping to bridge regional economic gaps.
5. Transporting Solid Materials: Pipelines are now also used to transport solid materials in slurry form, such as iron ore and rock phosphate, reducing operating costs and increasing efficiency.

Disadvantages of Pipeline Transportation

1. High Initial Costs: Building pipelines requires significant initial investment, and once installed, their capacity cannot easily be increased without major modifications.
2. Vulnerability to Natural Disasters: Pipelines are susceptible to distortions caused by natural events like earthquakes, making it difficult to detect leaks and cracks.
3. Security Threats: Pipelines, especially those crossing national borders like the TAPI pipeline, are vulnerable to sabotage and security risks from terrorist activities.

In conclusion, while India’s pipeline infrastructure plays a vital role in the transportation of oil and gas, addressing challenges such as high initial costs and security threats will be key to ensuring its continued success in India’s energy landscape.

Model Answer

Introduction to Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022

The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, introduced by the Indian government, aim to establish a framework for managing all types of waste batteries, including those from electric vehicles, automotive, industrial, and portable batteries. These rules align with the concept of a circular economy, focusing on reusing and recycling materials rather than extracting new resources. The ultimate goal is to reduce waste, promote sustainable practices, and incentivize the recovery and reuse of battery materials.

Promoting Circular Economy Through Key Features

The rules are grounded in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), where manufacturers, including importers, are held accountable for the collection, recycling, and refurbishment of waste batteries. This creates a market that encourages reusing materials instead of discarding them. Several features of the rules contribute to a circular economy:

1. EPR Obligations: Producers must take responsibility for the collection and recycling of batteries, with mandatory targets for waste recovery. For example, electric two-wheeler manufacturers are required to meet a 70% collection target of batteries sold in the market within a specific timeframe (2026-2027).
2. Promoting Entrepreneurship: The rules foster new businesses in the recycling and refurbishment sectors, thus creating job opportunities and encouraging innovation in waste management technologies.
3. Use of Recycled Materials: After processing, producers are required to use a set percentage of recycled materials in the manufacturing of new batteries, which helps close the loop in the production cycle.
4. Environmental Accountability: A ‘Polluter Pays’ principle ensures that producers who fail to meet EPR obligations will face financial penalties, incentivizing compliance.

Need for Effective Design to Ensure Efficient Recycling

While the rules provide a solid foundation, there are gaps that need attention for optimal implementation:

1. Challenges with Lithium-Ion Batteries: The labeling requirements, which focus only on the presence of heavy metals, do not account for the carbon footprint of batteries. This oversight misses an opportunity to promote more sustainable battery production, especially since lithium-ion batteries have significant environmental impacts due to their global supply chains.
2. Design for Recycling: Batteries should be designed with recycling in mind. The production process should focus not just on material extraction but also on creating batteries that are easier to recycle. This would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of recycling systems, ensuring a steady supply of materials for new batteries.

In conclusion, the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, offer a strong framework for promoting a circular economy but must address design and labeling shortcomings to ensure efficient recycling and reduced environmental impact.

Model Answer

Overview of the IT & BPM Industry in India

India’s Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector plays a crucial role in the nation’s economy, contributing around 8% of India’s GDP. The industry employs over 1.2 million people and comprises various sub-sectors including IT Services, BPM, Software and Engineering Services, and Hardware.

Among these, IT services dominate with more than 51% of the market share, followed by software and engineering services and BPM. India’s BPM industry controls more than 37% of the global market share, with over 17,000 firms generating steady growth. Furthermore, the FDI inflows into the software and hardware sector between 2000-2022 amounted to US$ 85.51 billion. The sector’s revenue is expected to grow to US$ 350 billion by 2025, with BPM contributing US$ 50-55 billion of that total.

Factors Influencing IT Hub Locations in India

The establishment of IT hubs in Indian cities is influenced by several key factors:

1. Development of IT Parks: State governments have actively developed IT parks in cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, which have helped these locations become major IT hubs.
2. Availability of Local Talent: Cities like Bengaluru have an abundant talent pool, which has made it one of the top destinations for IT investment.
3. Government Policies: Policies such as government-backed incubators and initiatives like the Start-Up Telangana portal have attracted tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Facebook to set up operations in cities like Hyderabad.
4. Strategic Location: Cities like Gurugram (Cyber City) benefit from proximity to the national capital, making them a preferred choice for IT companies. Similarly, Kochi’s strategic location near Ernakulam adds to its appeal.
5. Infrastructure Development: Cities like Chandigarh and Thiruvananthapuram offer robust infrastructure and educational facilities, making them attractive for tech firms.

In addition, factors such as work-from-home trends and the migration of talent to hometowns have contributed to the growth of IT hubs in Tier-II and III cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, and Nagpur, which benefit from proximity to larger IT centers like Pune and Mumbai.

मॉडल उत्तर

महासागरीय तापीय ऊर्जा: प्रमुख चुनौतियाँ और सुधारात्मक उपाय

महासागरीय तापीय ऊर्जा का दोहन महासागरीय तापीय ऊर्जा रूपांतरण (OTEC) प्रक्रिया से किया जाता है। भारत में इसकी सैद्धांतिक क्षमता 1,80,000 मेगावाट है। इसके बावजूद प्रगति धीमी रही है। इस संदर्भ में, प्रमुख चुनौतियाँ और सुधारात्मक उपाय नीचे दिए गए हैं:

प्रमुख चुनौतियाँ

1. उच्च लागत

OTEC संयंत्र की स्थापना के लिए भारी पंपिंग और पाइपिंग बुनियादी ढांचे की आवश्यकता होती है। गहरे समुद्र से जल स्थानांतरित करने के लिए पाइपिंग की लागत कुल परियोजना लागत का 75% तक हो सकती है। (स्रोत: MoES रिपोर्ट)

2. स्थान संबंधी सीमाएँ

OTEC तकनीक केवल भूमध्यरेखीय और उष्णकटिबंधीय क्षेत्रों में उपयोगी है, जिससे इसका दायरा सीमित हो जाता है।

3. प्रौद्योगिकी की कमी

अधिकांश तकनीकें अभी भी अनुसंधान और प्रदर्शन चरण में हैं और वाणिज्यिक उपयोग के लिए तैयार नहीं हैं।

4. पर्यावरणीय चिंताएँ

OTEC संयंत्रों से ठंडे और पोषक तत्वों से भरपूर जल के उत्सर्जन से समुद्री जीवों और पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र पर प्रतिकूल प्रभाव पड़ सकता है। जैव प्रदूषण और समुद्री जीवों के केबल में फंसने जैसी समस्याएँ भी प्रमुख हैं।

सुधारात्मक उपाय

1. नीतिगत समर्थन

OTEC परियोजनाओं के लिए एक मजबूत राष्ट्रीय नीति तैयार करनी चाहिए। वित्तीय प्रोत्साहन और योजनाएँ, जैसे नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा सब्सिडी, इस दिशा में सहायक होंगी।

2. अनुसंधान एवं विकास (R&D) में निवेश

सरकार और निजी क्षेत्र के बीच साझेदारी को बढ़ावा देना चाहिए। उदाहरण के लिए, राष्ट्रीय समुद्र प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान द्वारा लक्षद्वीप में OTEC संयंत्र स्थापित करना एक सकारात्मक कदम है।

3. अंतरराष्ट्रीय सहयोग

भारत को तटीय देशों के साथ सहयोग कर प्रौद्योगिकी और वित्तीय संसाधनों को साझा करना चाहिए।

4. प्रदर्शन परियोजनाएँ

OTEC प्रौद्योगिकी के प्रभाव और पर्यावरणीय प्रभाव को समझने के लिए व्यवहारिक स्थलों पर प्रदर्शन परियोजनाएँ विकसित करनी चाहिए।

निष्कर्ष

महासागरीय तापीय ऊर्जा एक सतत और स्वच्छ ऊर्जा स्रोत बनने की क्षमता रखती है। इसके विकास के लिए दीर्घकालिक नीति, जागरूकता और अनुसंधान प्राथमिकताएँ होनी चाहिए। इससे कार्बन उत्सर्जन में कमी और भारत की ऊर्जा जरूरतों को पूरा करने में सहायता मिलेगी।