Page 8 - AsiaElec Week 05 2023

AsiaElec GEOTHERMAL AsiaElec

Geothermal power making

inroads in India

Nationwide mapping project planned to aid in locating geothermal hotspots

INDIA INDIA’S state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp. A test 1-MW facility is expected to be in place
(ONGC) has announced plans to map and then by the end of the current year.
utilise potential geothermal energy sources Sources indicate that this project will then be
around the country. followed by exploratory operations in the Cam-
Speaking to media earlier in the week, bay Basin area of Gujarat in the west of the sub-
Sushma Rawat, the director of exploration ser- continent as the next region that ONGC intends
vices at ONGC, said that while plans are still in to target.
their early stages, actual execution could begin This would come in the form of investigations
early next year. into a number of non-performing former oil and
“In terms of geothermal energy, we have gas wells containing material capable of trapping
worked in Ladakh, but that is just a starter. We and maintaining geothermal energy for 25 years
are coming up with a geothermal map for (the) or more.
entire India,” Rawat said referring to previous Rawat continued “(T)hrough that we can
drilling operations in the mountainous north- identify areas of high heat flows and high geo-
west of the country. thermal gradient. It is not the same everywhere;
Ladakh has been pinpointed as the most one it will be analysed where it is the maximum. It is
of the region’s most potentially resource-rich the first stage of exploration. It will be more an
areas in terms of geothermal energy. Drilling atlas for geothermal energy.”
operations began in the mountains of Ladakh Experts in India have previously claimed that
last August, and are ongoing, according to geothermal energy sources locked deep beneath
sources. the country could total 10 GW in capacity.
The region has, however, been a flashpoint As such, geothermal power is being seen as a
between India and China along a shared border crucial part of India’s overall nationwide efforts
in recent years. Deaths have occurred annually to attain 500 GW of renewable capacity and
since 2020, as Indian troops stationed in the zero-emissions by 2070.
region have fought to defend territory against To this end, ONGC has also pushed its own
frequent Chinese incursions. efforts at diversification to the fore.
ONGC has identified the Puga Valley and Titled ‘Energy Strategy 2040’ the company is
Chumathang village in the east of Ladakh as the moving towards a total of 5 GW of renewable
most promising geothermal fields at present in capacity by 2040, on the back of 1.5 GW of solar
the country. Reports say the site could generate and 2 GW of onshore wind facilities by the end
up to 50 MW of energy. of the current decade.™

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 05 02 •February•2023