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Environment & Ecology15 Concepts & Facts

Geothermal & Tidal Energy in India GK Questions & Answers

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Geothermal energy taps the natural terrestrial heat stored within the Earth's crust, originating from primordial planetary accretion and the continuous decay of radioactive isotopes like uranium, thorium, and potassium. Subsurface temperatures rise with depth at an average geothermal gradient of 25 to 30 degrees Celsius per kilometer. In India, systematic hydrogeological surveys conducted by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) have mapped approximately 340 thermal hot springs across seven geothermal provinces: the Himalayan Geothermal Province, Sohana, Son-Narmada-Tapi (SONATA) belt, Cambay, West Coast, Godavari, and Mahanadi basins. High-enthalpy reservoirs are concentrated along active tectonic suture zones in the Himalayas, where hydrothermal convective circulation yields surface discharge temperatures exceeding 80 degrees Celsius.

Ocean energy resources complement geothermal systems through marine mechanical and thermal processes. Tidal energy exploits the gravitational interaction between the Earth, Moon, and Sun, requiring an operational tidal amplitude range of four to five meters between high and low tides to power hydraulic turbines within barrages or tidal stream installations. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) estimates India's theoretical tidal potential at roughly 12,455 megawatts, concentrated predominantly in the Gulf of Khambhat (7,000 MW) and Gulf of Kutch (1,200 MW) along Gujarat, alongside micro-tidal sites in the Sundarbans (Durgaduani Creek). Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) utilizes the temperature differential—requiring at least 20 degrees Celsius—between warm tropical surface waters and deep cold seawater pumped from depths of 1,000 meters.

Domestic development features targeted pilot projects and specialized research prototypes. In Ladakh, the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) initiated India's maiden commercial geothermal project at Puga Valley and Chumathang, designing a binary cycle power unit for high-altitude electricity and space heating. In Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Manikaran and Tattapani maintain experimental direct-heat and binary-fluid pilot units. In ocean engineering, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) demonstrated an automated low-temperature thermal desalination plant at Kavaratti in Lakshadweep using OTEC thermodynamic cycles, following earlier wave energy generation experiments at Vizhinjam in Kerala. In UPSC CSE (GS Paper I and Paper III) and SSC exams, questions regularly test tectonic locations of geothermal provinces, Rankine cycle thermodynamic principles in OTEC, tidal amplitude thresholds, and capital cost constraints.

Key Concepts & Self-Assessment15 Key Facts

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#1
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has identified approximately 340 geothermal hot springs across seven distinct geothermal provinces in India.
#2
India's total estimated geothermal energy potential is approximately 10,600 MW, according to assessments by MNRE and GSI.
#3
Puga Valley and Chumathang in Ladakh represent India's most geothermal-active fields, characterized by high-enthalpy mud pools and thermal springs.
#4
ONGC Energy Centre is developing India's first commercial-scale 1 MW geothermal power generation plant at Puga Valley in eastern Ladakh.
#5
Manikaran in the Parbati Valley of Himachal Pradesh is a notable geothermal field with surface water temperatures reaching boiling point (96°C to 98°C).
#6
Tattapani geothermal field in Balrampur district of Chhattisgarh lies along the Son-Narmada-Tapi (SONATA) lineament zone.
#7
Bakreshwar hot spring in Birbhum district, West Bengal, is unique for discharging measurable quantities of helium along with geothermal thermal waters.
#8
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) estimates India's aggregate tidal power potential at approximately 12,455 MW.
#9
The Gulf of Khambhat (Cambay) in Gujarat possesses the highest tidal power potential in India, estimated at 7,000 MW with tidal ranges of 8 to 11 metres.
#10
The Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat has an estimated tidal power potential of 1,200 MW, suitable for tidal barrage or in-stream tidal turbine deployment.
#11
The Sundarbans delta in West Bengal offers around 100 MW of tidal energy potential, where a 3.75 MW pilot project was planned at Durgaduani Creek.
#12
In 2019, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy formally clarified that ocean energy (tidal, wave, OTEC) qualifies as renewable energy for Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO).
#13
Tidal energy exploits the gravitational attraction of the Moon and Sun, providing periodic, predictable power unaffected by meteorological seasonality.
#14
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) harnesses the temperature gradient between warm surface waters (>=25°C) and deep ocean waters (5°C at 1,000m depth).
#15
National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) operates an experimental low-temperature thermal desalination and OTEC research facility in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep.

Subject Specialist Commentary

Analytical perspective & practical exam advice from the Master10 academic board

Educator's Insight
Geothermal and tidal energy provide dependable renewable power independent of daily sunlight or seasonal weather. Geothermal energy taps subterranean heat, highlighted in India by thermal fields like Ladakh's high-enthalpy Puga Valley, Himachal's Manikaran hot springs, and Chhattisgarh's Tattapani. Concurrently, tidal power captures predictable ocean movements driven by lunar gravity. India's greatest tidal energy potential lies along Gujarat's coastline, particularly in the Gulf of Khambhat and Gulf of Kutch, where dramatic tidal height differences create exceptional kinetic force.
Renewable energy questions in UPSC prelims and State PSC exams frequently evaluate resource locations and policy frameworks. A recurring exam trap tests pilot projects: remember that ONGC is developing India's first commercial one-megawatt geothermal plant at Puga Valley in Ladakh, not Himachal Pradesh. For tidal power questions, remember that the Gulf of Khambhat possesses the largest share of India's tidal potential. In prelims revision, also note that the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy includes ocean energy under Renewable Purchase Obligations.

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