Govt Notifies Policy For Geothermal Energy, Sanctions Pilot Projects To Assess Viability

(MENAFN- Live Mint) New Delhi: The union ministry of new and renewable energy on Wednesday notified the national policy on geothermal energy to reinforce efforts for energy transition and achieving net zero carbon emission by 2070.

Geothermal energy is stored in the form of heat beneath the earth's surface and is considered to be clean, renewable and carbon-free. The untapped geothermal resources are expected to be used for power generation and direct-use applications such as district heating, agriculture, aquaculture, and space cooling and heating through ground source heat pumps (GSHP).

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"The newly unveiled policy provides a comprehensive framework to promote exploration, development, and utilization of geothermal energy in India," said a statement from the ministry.

The ministry has also sanctioned five pilot projects to assess the viability and potential of these projects in the country.

"These include both pilot initiatives and resource assessment projects aimed at exploring the viability and potential of geothermal energy in India," it said.

Encouraging research, collaboration

The policy encourages research, inter-ministerial collaboration, and adoption of global best practices and the focus would be on electricity generation, space heating and cooling, agriculture (greenhouses, cold storage), tourism, and desalination.

It will also promote research & development (R&D) of advanced systems such as hybrid geothermal-solar plants, retrofitting abandoned oil wells, and enhanced/advanced geothermal systems (EGS/AGS).

The regulatory and stewardship responsibilities for geothermal energy will rest with the ministry of new and renewable energy. The statement also noted that the policy would focus on local innovation, joint ventures, and repurposing existing oil and gas infrastructure.

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The government will aim to build partnerships with international geothermal bodies and pioneering nations, and collaborate with state governments, oil and gas companies and research institutions.

The government aims to build a robust public-private ecosystem for the long-term development of the geothermal sector and promote knowledge sharing and human resource development in the sector.

Geo-thermal energy has been widely explored and utilized in the Nordic countries. Initial exploratory efforts in these areas were made during 1970-80 by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). But efforts to exploit geothermal energy failed to materialize for a variety of reasons.

State-run energy major Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd has been involved in exploring geothermal energy and has been working on the feasibility of a project in Ladakh.

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