India's new national policy on geothermal energy seeks to build on interest from research firms in the United States, Iceland, and Norway to test its commercial viability in the country, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi said on Wednesday. Companies from Iceland and Norway are looking at R&D and pilot projects in the Gulf of Cambay, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, he added.
Geothermal energy taps the earth's heat from hot water springs on the surface or reservoirs deep underground, using steam to spin turbines and generate electricity. It is a renewable source and can also be harnessed from hot rocks for heating and cooling, greenhouses, and aquaculture. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has mapped 381 hot springs nationwide with surface temperatures between 35°C and 89°C, whose exploration and development the new MNRE policy, released on September 17, aims to support.
"Some Norwegian and Icelandic research companies have shown interest in the Gulf of Cambay, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. They have even sent their teams to do some pilot studies. There is a lot of interest," Sarangi said in a media briefing. Additionally, the government will also explore technological collaborations with the US and Indonesia, especially for enhanced geothermal systems for larger power plants.
