Q1. [4] deep exam-ready
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
India is increasingly dependent on fossil fuels to meet its growing energy needs, but rising prices, potential shortages and serious environmental damage have made this path unsustainable. India is also one of the least energy-efficient countries in the world. At the same time, the country is blessed with an abundance of sunlight, water, wind and biomass — renewable resources that remain largely underutilised. Developing these non-conventional energy sources and promoting energy conservation are seen as the twin pillars of a sustainable energy future.
(i) What is photovoltaic technology, and why is it particularly suitable for rural and remote areas of India? [1]
(ii) Name the largest wind farm cluster in India and the state where it is located. [1]
(iii) Why is the continued large-scale use of firewood and cattle dung cakes as energy sources increasingly unsustainable in India? Give two reasons. [2]
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:34 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(i) Photovoltaic technology converts sunlight directly into electricity. It is suitable for rural and remote areas of India because these areas have abundant sunlight and are often far from conventional power grids, making solar energy a practical and accessible alternative.
(ii) The largest wind farm cluster in India is located in Tamil Nadu, stretching from Nagarcoil to Madurai.
(iii) Two reasons why large-scale use of firewood and cattle dung cakes is unsustainable:
- Burning firewood leads to decreasing forest area, making its continued use difficult.
- Using dung cakes wastes valuable manure that could otherwise be used to enrich agricultural soil.
Source: Non-Conventional Sources of Energy / Energy Resources, Chapter 5
---
Explanation
- For (i), the key phrase from the text is "Photovoltaic technology converts sunlight directly into electricity" — write it exactly. Add why it suits rural areas (grid inaccessibility + sunlight abundance).
- For (ii), examiners want both the state (Tamil Nadu) and the stretch (Nagarcoil to Madurai). Missing either loses the mark.
- For (iii), both reasons must come from the passage — decreasing forests and loss of manure. Do not add outside reasons; this is a source-based question. Each reason earns 1 mark.