Q.What are the three basic sources of generating power?

Power (electricity) is one of the most critical components of economic infrastructure, since almost every farm, factory and household depends on it. India generates its electricity from a few distinct kinds of sources, classified by the natural input used to drive the turbines — there are three basic ones. …

Electricity — the most visible form of energy — is generated in India mainly from three basic sources:

1. Thermal power — generated by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Thermal plants are the mainstay of India's power sector, accounting for about 70 per cent of generation capacity in 2012-13, though they face shortages of coal and raw material.
2. Hydro-electric (hydel) power — generated from the energy of flowing water. Along with wind power it made up about 16 per cent of capacity, and it is encouraged because it does not rely on fossil fuel and so avoids carbon emissions. …