Geo-Thermal

Geo-Thermal

Geo-Thermal Energy
Geothermal Energy is heat stored in earth crust and being used for electric generation and also for direct heat application worldwide since beginning of last century. USA, Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, Italy and Iceland are leading countries availing commercial exploitation with world production 12000 MW ^[1]. For harnessing Geothermal energy in the country the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has been supporting R&D on exploration activities and Resource Assessment during last 25 years. This includes formation of expert groups, working group, core group and committees in addition to providing financial support for such projects and for resource assessment. MNRE is targeting for deployment of Geo-thermal capacity of 1000 MW_th in the initial phase till 2022. Resource Assessment is being planned in 2016-2017 for public domain.  
The objective of the programme is to assess the potential of geothermal resources in the country and to harness these resources in two distinct categories namely
(i) Power Production
Government of India, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) contemplate major initiative in RDD&D of Geothermal technology for harnessing the geothermal energy in the country for the period 2015-17. Geothermal electricity generation is site and technology specific and India is in Low Geothermal Potential Region with low/medium heat enthalpy ^[12]. Government is planning to encourage the demonstration projects at the first stage to assess the technical viability of the project before going to the commercial models.
Various resource assessment carried out by GSI, UNDP and NGRI under aegis of CEA,UNDP & MNRE established the potential 10600 MW_th /1000MW_e spread over 340 hot springs across seven Geothermal provinces/11 states ^[2][14]. The average rough capital cost on not exceeding basis stands 30 Cr per MW (Rs 12 per KWhr) ^[18]. As per the international reports a 1 MW Geothermal Power Plant generates about 8.3 Millions Units (MU) per MW per annum ^[13] compared to Solar 1.6 MU per MW, Wind 1.9 MU per MW and Hydro 3.9 MU per MW