indian geothermal heating up, page-2

Another project led by an Indian government agency - interesting that they are getting their expertise from Australia.

http://etalaat.net/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4144&Itemid=1

JK to get geothermal power project soon PDF Print E-mail
Haroon Mirani
Srinagar, Dec 14: After being among the first in the hydro electric projects the energy starved State of Jammu Kashmir is set to pioneer the development of geothermal energy projects in India, starting from its geologically active site in Ladakh. Geothermal energy is derived from the natural heat of the earth and has various end uses, including in electricity generation.
There are around 350 such sites in entire India, the Puga hot spring area in North Western Himalaya in the Ladakh region has the most intense and promising geothermal field among them.
Bhilwara energy Limited has applied for license to generate around 100 MW of power from geothermal projects in Ladakh and Chattisgarh. It plans to invest around 1,000 crore rupees in the two projects, with the bulk going to Ladakh.
National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) country’s leading power producer also plans to foray into geothermal energy and they too have evinced keen interest in Puga project with estimated investment of Rs 600 crore.
Although the capital cost for generating energy from geothermal source is Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore per MW, but the operating cost is minimal.
State power minister Nawang Ringzin Jora said that the government has been aggressively taking up the development of Puga project directly with prime minister’s office.
“As the country lacks geothermal technology, so a specialised team was sent to Australia to study the technology and they have already submitted the full report,” said Jora.
Now New Delhi’s ministry of mines and minerals has been entrusted to dig two wells in the area. While giving details about the wells Jora said, “the first well will be 600 meters deep and second one will be two km deep.”
This will ascertain full potential of the proposed project. Jora said that this rich geothermal active area runs diagonally from Tibetan plateau up to Siachen glacier and it holds a lot of geothermal power potential.
Yangbathang geothermal project in Tibet, which is situated on the similar geographic area, currently produces 35 MW and Chinese government is working on its extension.
Conservative assessments put the potential at Puga at 50 MW and much more if the developmental field is enhanced.
There is a total geothermal power potential of 10,600 MW in entire India but the country is yet to see a single commissioned project that harnesses this energy.
Geothermal form of energy has the added advantage of being available all round the year, unlike the fluctuations of hydro power projects.
Other benefits of geothermal projects include the fact that it needs much less land than a conventional power plant and is the safest and cleanest energy produced from any source.
There is also a renewed interest in the geothermal projects in JK, as the development of this clean form of energy will entitle them to earn carbon credits.
Given all these factors the government is optimistic that the State will receive huge investments in the sector.