Economic Aspects of Proposed Binary Cycle Electricity Generation at Tatapani Geothermal Field, District Surguja, India

Abstract

A binary cycle plant of 300 kWe capacity is proposed to generate electricity at Tatapani Geothermal Field, India. The economics of geothermal power production is discussed in this article. The overall financial outlay for geothermal development at Tatapani is analysed for the pilot plant project. The project for the binary cycle power plant may be financially viable under normal conditions of production. Besides, the binary cycle generation is advantageous because of less emission of green house gases and less pollution of environment. The geothermal power project at Tatapani may have less emission of green house gases vis a vis a fossil fuel power plant, thus saving the cost of control of pollution in the power generation, which also adds to the economic benefits of geothermal development at Tatapani. The economics of the power generation project can be improved by additional income genefation from cascading uses of effluent water such as spa, sericulture, aquaculture, refrigeration, tourism and even use in irrigation.