Geothermal Energy Programme in India

Abstract

There are about 340 known geothermal areas in India, each tapped by a hot/warm spring. The thermal areas are controlled by the basic structural and tectonic framework. Twelve well defined geothermal provinces are recognized. An order of magnetite geothermal resource potential in terms of stored heat for about one third (113) of the known thermal spring areas, for which reliable though insufficient basic data exist, was estimated to be 49.9 10/18 calories. It all these 113 systems are fully utilized in low to medium temperature nonelectric applications, at the places of their availability, they can substitute nearly 10,600 MW of electrical energy. The status of Indian geothermal activity relative to its application for electric and nonelectric application is described in the paper.