Geothermal Power | Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (Govt. of Maharashtra Institution), India

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Geothermal Power -

Geothermal Power	Geothermal Power
	Geothermal energy is the natural heat generated within the earth due to radioactive activities. Earth has a large reservoir of geothermal heat and its potential has not been completely exploited for the process heat or power generation. The survey conducted by the Geological Survey of India regarding the available stored energy in the upper 3 km- depth range, estimates the potential of 40.9 x 1018 calorie in 13 well- defined and structurally controlled "Geothermal Provinces" [A. B. Dhaulakhandi et.al. SESI Journal 6(1): 9-27, 1996].

Geothermal energy is the natural heat generated within the earth due to radioactive activities.
Earth has a large reservoir of geothermal heat and its potential has not been completely
exploited for the process heat or power generation. The survey conducted by the Geological
Survey of India regarding the available stored energy in the upper 3 km- depth range, estimates
the potential of 40.9 x 1018 calorie in 13 well- defined and structurally controlled "Geothermal
Provinces" [A. B. Dhaulakhandi et.al. SESI Journal 6(1): 9-27, 1996].

Among these provinces, Maharashtra shares

West Coast (Konkan) geothermal province
Narmada-Tapi Garben geothermal province
Godavari valley geothermal province.

Geothermal Power	Geothermal Power;
	Some of the identified sites are Tapi basin, Jalgaon, Dhule and Salbardi hot spring in Maharashtra. Nearly 340 hot springs have been identified in the country having temperatures in the range of 60-120 0C. Some of the possible use patterns of geothermal energy are space heating, binary-cycle power generation, food processing, refrigeration, cold storage etc. Space heating and refrigeration have already been tried successfully at Manikaran, (Himachal Pradesh) and Puga (J&K). A pilotpower plant of 5 kW based on close loop organic Rankine cycle was installed in Manikaran. Mostof the geothermal sites are in low and moderate temperature range. The initial high cost and negligible low running cost make them commercially viable in the long run with a payback period of around 8 years. Based on the tried and tested technologies abroad, geothermal energy needs to be utilized specially for socio-economic development of the backward hilly areas. With suitable governmental support, private investment can be an attractive proposition. Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) has executed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s Thermax Ltd. for development & implementation of power generation from Geothermal Energy in the West coast of Maharashtra.

Some of the identified sites are Tapi basin, Jalgaon, Dhule and Salbardi hot spring in Maharashtra. Nearly 340 hot springs have been identified in the country having temperatures in the range of 60-120 0C.
Some of the possible use patterns of geothermal energy are space heating, binary-cycle power
generation, food processing, refrigeration, cold storage etc. Space heating and refrigeration have already been tried successfully at Manikaran, (Himachal Pradesh) and Puga (J&K).

A pilotpower plant of 5 kW based on close loop organic Rankine cycle was installed in Manikaran. Mostof the geothermal sites are in low and moderate temperature range.

The initial high cost and negligible low running cost make them commercially viable in the long run with a payback period of around 8 years. Based on the tried and tested technologies abroad, geothermal energy needs to be utilized specially for socio-economic development of the backward hilly areas. With suitable governmental support, private investment can be an attractive proposition.
Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) has executed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s Thermax Ltd. for development & implementation of power generation from Geothermal Energy in the West coast of Maharashtra.