Geothermal power plants in india, mnre and geo thermal, benefits of geothermal, cost of geothermal energy, capital cost of geothermal energy, geothermal energy potential in india, installed geothermal electrical capacity,
These are the companies that have geothermal power plants in India.Visit for more info on geothermal energy in india
This is MNRE's program for India.
The objective of the programme is to assess the potential of geothermal resources in the country and to harness these resources for power generation and for direct heat applications for space heating, greenhouse cultivation, cooking, etc.
Projects undertaken by the Ministry in the past have� demonstrated the applications of geothermal fluids for small-scale power generation and in poultry farming and greenhouse cultivation.
Magnetotelluric (MT) investigations to delineate sub-surface, geo-electric structures and evaluate their geothermal significance have been carried out by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad in Tatapani geothermal area in Chhattisgarh� and for Puga geothermal area in Ladakh Region, Jammu and Kashmir.
Similar studies are in progress for geothermal fields in the States of Surajkund in Jharkhand, Badrinath-Tapovan in Uttaranchal and Satluj-Beas and Parvati Valleys in Himachal Pradesh.
National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), with the support from Ministry, prepared feasibility report for� development of geothermal fields in Puga, Ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir and Tatapani geothermal field in the Surguja district of Chhattisgarh.
1. What are the benefits of using geothermal energy?2. Why is geothermal energy a renewable resource? 3. Where is geothermal energy available? 4. What are the environmental impacts of using geothermal energy? 5. What is the visual impact of geothermal technologies? 6. Is it possible to deplete geothermal reservoirs? 7. How much does geothermal energy cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh)? 8. What does it cost to develop a geothermal power plant? 9. What makes a site good for geothermal electric development? 10. How much water does a plant require? Doesnt it appear good for India. Unfortunately we are yet to locate some big finds of geothermal sites in india.
Geothermal energy is energy extracted from heat stored in the earth. This energy originates from the original formation of the planet, from radioactive decay of minerals, and from solar energy absorbed at the surface. It has been used for space heating and bathing since ancient times, but is now known for both heating as well as for generating electricity.
There are three main methods to exploit geothermal sources:
- Direct use of hot water from geothermal hot water reservoirs
- Electricity from geothermal energy –Geothermal power plants are generally built where geothermal reservoirs are located within a mile or two of the surface, and use the reservoir heat for generating steam, which runs a turbine to produce electricity.
- Ground source heat pumps / geothermal heat pumps – These heat pumps use the stable temperature under the ground, and the consequent temperature difference between the surface and underground, to heat or cool buildings.
The Indian government has done little so far to exploit geothermal energy. Unlike in the sectors of wind and solar energy, few benefits or incentives have been formulated or announced to attract investment in geothermal energy.
Total available potential
Claimed to be 10,000 MW but experts are confident only to the extent of 100 MW
No projections yet
10 year tax break, incentive package still evolving
Companies that have started exploring this field include LNJ Bhilwara, Tata Power (5MW plant in Gujarat), Thermax (3MW plant in Ladakh) and Geosyndicate Power (25MW in Andhra Pradesh)
ü Long gestation periods involved in site prospecting, getting licenses and testing
ü Unproven in India
ü Lack of clear policy and incentive package from the government
ü Manpower and expertise for R&D and operations unavailable in India
Cost of power generation
Global estimates put the price of generation at about 6-7 cents/kWh.
NEDCAP Announcement (available at: http://www.nedcap.gov.in/PDFs/Geo-thermal-News.pdf)
* The Cost Of Geothermal Energy
The cost of geothermal energy can be extremely low depending on how you approach the use of this free renewable energy. Geothermal energy is heat contained within the earth, and there are a number of ways in which we can use this energy.
The most powerful method of harnessing the free geothermal energy is through the use of a geothermal power plant. The second method which is used on a much wider scale is through the use of underground pipes in an attempt to extract heat energy.
If you are a residential consumer, you are much more likely to take advantage of the energy contained within the first few meters of the ground you walk on, due to the cost it takes to go any deeper. If you are using geothermal for industry (such as a power station), you are more likely to make use of geothermal power contained deep within the earth, yet this method can be very pricey. more
How much does a geothermal power plant cost?
According to studies, an economically competitive geothermal power plant can cost as low as $3400 per kilowatt installed. (1) While the cost of a new geothermal power plant is higher than that of a comparable natural gas facility, in the long run the two are similar over time. This is because natural gas construction costs account for only one third of the total price of the facility, while the cost of the fuel at a natural gas facility represents two thirds of the cost. The initial construction costs of a geothermal facility, in contrast, represent two thirds or more of total costs. So although initial investment is high for geothermal, natural gas and geothermal are still economically comparable over a long term.
Figure 27: Levelized Costs of Selected Technologies
How much does power from a geothermal power plant cost?
California Energy Commission (CEC) 2007 estimates place the levelized (2) generation costs for a 50 MW geothermal binary plant at $92 per megawatt hour (3) and for a 50 MW dual flash geothermal plant at $88 per megawatt hour, which over the lifetime of the plant can be competitive with a variety of technologies, including natural gas. (4) According to the CEC report, natural gas costs $101 per megawatt hour for a 500 MW combined cycle power plant and $586 per megawatt hour for a 100 MW simple cycle plant. On average the cost for new geothermal projects ranged from 6 tp 8 cents per kilowatt hour according to a 2006 report, including the production tax credit. (5) But, it should be noted that the cost for individual geothermal projects can vary significantly based upon a series of factors discussed below, and that costs for all power projects change over time with economic conditions.
"However, it must be remembered that a major impact on geothermal power cost is the local, regional, national, and global competition for commodities such as steel, cement, and construction equipment. Geothermal power is competing against other renewable and non-renewable power development, building construction, road and infrastructure improvements, and all other projects that use the same commodities and services. Until equipment and plant inventories rise to meet the increase in demand for these commodities and services, project developers can expect the costs to rise well above the background inflation level."
Geothermal power plants are characterized by high capital investment for exploration, drilling wells, and plant installation, but low cost for operation and maintenance. In 2001, EPRIestimated that capital reimbursement and associated interest account for 65% of the total cost of geothermal power. (8) Capital costs of a combined cycle natural gas power plant, in contrast, only represents about 22% of the levelized cost of electricity produced from the plant, while the fossil fuel cost accounts for 67% . (9) However, geothermal plants have no fuel costs, and over a typical 30-year plant life the fuel costs for a natural gas or coal plant can represent twice their initial capital cost. Over the life of the plant, when you consider capital costs and total fuel costs, geothermal projects can be a sound investment.
Geothermal energy is defined as heat from the Earth. It is a clean, renewable resource that provides energy in the U.S. and around the world in a variety of applications and resources. Although areas with telltale signs like hot springs are more obvious and are often the first places geothermal resources are used, the heat of the earth is available everywhere, and we are learning to use it in a broader diversity of circumstances. It is considered a renewable resource because the heat emanating from the interior of the Earth is essentially limitless. The heat continuously flowing from the Earth’s interior, which travels primarily by conduction, is estimated to be equivalent to 42 million megawatts (MW) of power, and is expected to remain so for billions of years to come, ensuring an inexhaustible supply of energy. (1)
Figure 1: Earth’s Temperatures
A geothermal system requires heat, permeability, and water. The heat from the Earth's core continuously flows outward. Sometimes the heat, as magma, reaches the surface as lava, but it usually remains below the Earth's crust, heating nearby rock and water — sometimes to levels as hot as 700°F. When water is heated by the earth’s heat, hot water or steam can be trapped in permeable and porous rocks under a layer of impermeable rock and a geothermal reservoir can form. This hot geothermal water can manifest itself on the surface as hot springs or geysers, but most of it stays deep underground, trapped in cracks and porous rock. This natural collection of hot water is called a geothermal reservoir.
Figure 2: The Formation of a Geothermal Reservoir
Geothermal electricity is electricity generated from geothermal energy. Technologies in use include dry steam power plants, flash steam power plants and binary cycle power plants. Geothermal electricity generation is currently used in 24 countries, while geothermal heating is in use in 70 countries.
Estimates of the electricity generating potential of geothermal energy vary from 35 to 2,000 GW. Current worldwide installed capacity is 10,715 megawatts (MW), with the largest capacity in the United States (3,086 MW), Philippines, and Indonesia.
Geothermal power is considered to be sustainable because the heat extraction is small compared with the Earth's heat content. The emission intensity of existing geothermal electric plants is on average 122 kg of CO2 per megawatt-hour (MW·h) of electricity, about one-eighth of a conventional coal-fired plant.
Installed geothermal electric capacity