ONGC to map India’s geothermal resources

Context

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) plans to map the geothermal energy sources of India in search of clean energy.

What is Geothermal Energy?

• Geothermal energy is heat that is generated within the Earth. 
• Geothermal energy is stored in the form of heat beneath the earth’s surface 
• Type: Renewable resource 
• Source: It is contained in the rocks and fluids beneath the earth’s crust and can be found as far down as the earth’s hot molten rock, magma.
• Impact on environment: clean and carbon-free.
• Process: A series of wells is used to generate steam from the Earth’s internal heat energy and fed to the power plant to generate electricity

Geothermal Energy in India

• Geothermal province: There are seven geothermal provinces and a number of geothermal springs in India.
• Total potential: According to the ministry of new and renewable energy, India has the potential to generate 10 gigawatts (GW) of geothermal power.
• Major regions: Ladakh (Puga and Chumathang regions) has been identified as the most resource-rich region in terms of geothermal energy in the country.
  • Apart from Ladakh, there is abundant potential in Himachal Pradesh too which has several sources of geothermal energy along the rivers Alaknanda, Sutlej, Beas and Bhagirathi.
  • Efforts are also underway to utilize geothermal energy from oil and gas wells in the Gandhar oil field of ONGC’s Ankleshwar asset in Gujarat.