India Tests Geothermal Energy With Five Pilot Projects, Says MNRE Secretary

• India has launched five pilot projects to explore geothermal energy as part of its clean energy diversification.

• Projects include electricity from deep oil wells, heating an army base, cooling systems, resource mapping, and solar-geothermal integration.

• The ministry aims to make geothermal energy a key renewable source and adopt global best practices through partnerships with countries like the US and Iceland.

• Funding will come from R&D programmes, foreign investment, and loans, with future support through viability gap funding and state incentives.

Santosh Kumar Sarangi, secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said on Wednesday that India has launched five pilot projects to assess the potential of geothermal energy, part of a broader push to diversify its clean energy sources.

Speaking to reporters, Sarangi said the projects are testing a range of technologies. In Rajasthan, Vedanta and Indian Institute of Technology Madras are attempting to generate electricity from deep oil wells. In Arunachal Pradesh, geothermal heat is being used to warm an army base. Osmania University in Hyderabad is studying its use in cooling systems, while Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is mapping shallow geothermal potential nationwide. A fifth project is demonstrating how solar and geothermal power can be combined to produce electricity.

“The goal is to establish geothermal energy as one of the pillars of India’s renewable energy mix,” Sarangi said. “We also want to bring in global best practices in exploration, resource assessment and technological development.”

He said the ministry is seeking technology partnerships with countries that have advanced geothermal industries, including the United States, Iceland, Norway and Indonesia, several of which have shown interest in supporting India’s efforts.

Funding for the pilot projects, Sarangi said, will come from research and development programmes, foreign direct investment and long-term loans. Once the technology matures, the government may consider offering viability gap funding. States could also be encouraged to offer concessional land leases and other incentives, and the ministry will work with state governments to incorporate geothermal energy into renewable or industrial policies.