India Unveils National Policy on Geothermal Energy to Boost Renewable Energy Portfolio

Strategic Insights -

India has introduced the National Policy on Geothermal Energy (2025) to harness its geothermal resources and achieve the country's Net Zero target by 2070. The policy aims to diversify India's energy mix and reduce dependence on fossil fuels by promoting research, inter-ministerial collaboration, and global best practices for geothermal energy development. The policy also focuses on applications beyond electricity generation, such as space heating and cooling, greenhouse farming, tourism, desalination, and cold storage solutions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The National Policy on Geothermal Energy (2025) seeks to harness India's largely untapped geothermal resources and position geothermal energy as a key pillar of the country's sustainable energy transition.
  • The policy focuses on promoting research, fostering inter-ministerial collaboration, and adopting global best practices for geothermal energy development.
  • The policy encourages research and development of hybrid geothermal-solar plants, retrofitting of abandoned oil wells, and deployment of Enhanced and Advanced Geothermal Systems (EGS/AGS).
  • The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has sanctioned five projects focused on pilot demonstrations and resource assessment as part of the policy's first phase.

Statistics:

  • India aims to achieve Net Zero by 2070.
  • The country seeks to diversify its renewable energy portfolio through the National Policy on Geothermal Energy (2025).
  • Geothermal energy is expected to play a growing role in reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
  • The policy emphasizes applications beyond electricity generation, such as space heating and cooling, greenhouse farming, tourism, desalination, and cold storage solutions.
  • Five projects have been sanctioned for pilot demonstrations and resource assessment as part of the policy's first phase.

Sources:

  • Government of India
  • Government of India (4)
  • "India Unveils National Policy on Geothermal Energy to Boost Renewable Energy Portfolio"
  • "National Policy on Geothermal Energy (2025)"