UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Solar panels yield far more energy per acre than biofuels

Q1. As per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, what was India's cumulative installed solar power capacity in November 2025?

  • A. 94.17 GW
  • B. 119.02 GW
  • C. 132.85 GW
  • D. 262.74 GW

Q2. The National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 was notified by which of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
  • B. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
  • C. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
  • D. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Q3. Under the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018, the term 'Advanced Biofuels' specifically refers to which of the following?

  • A. First-generation bioethanol and biodiesel produced from sugarcane juice and edible oilseeds
  • B. Ethanol produced from B-heavy molasses and damaged food grains under the EBP Programme
  • C. Second-generation (2G) ethanol, MSW to drop-in fuels, third-generation (3G) biofuels and bio-CNG
  • D. Imported denatured ethanol blended into petrol above the 20% threshold

Q4. Implementation of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, which anchors India's 500 GW non-fossil-fuel capacity target by 2030, is the exclusive responsibility of which Union Ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Power
  • B. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
  • C. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • D. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Q5. Among India's non-fossil-fuel electricity sources, which one is the single largest by installed capacity as of November 2025?

  • A. Large hydropower
  • B. Wind power
  • C. Nuclear power
  • D. Solar power