India - Village Facilities Survey , July 2002-December 2002, NSS 58th Round

Non-conventional energy: Conventional energy includes energy generated using petroleum or coal and also atomic energy. Hydro-electric energy generated from large dams is also a form of conventional energy. Energy generated through other means was
treated as non-conventional energy for the purpose of this survey. A village was categorised as having non-conventional energy if such energy was accessible and available for use to the majority of the villagers. The forms of non-conventional energy considered were bio-gas, solar energy, wind energy, any combination of these three energies, and other forms. Bio-gas was considered available when a bio-gas plant existed and supplied the villagers with gas for cooking, lighting, etc. Similarly, solar/ wind energy was considered available when this was provided for street lights, water pumps, household lighting, etc.

non-conventional energy codes
(bio-gas – 1, solar energy – 2, wind energy – 3, any combination of codes 1 to 3 – 4, others – 9;
none – 5)