Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power utility and leading renewable energy player, today announced the successful commissioning of a 1MW geothermal pilot plant in Australia, by Geodynamics, an associate of Tata Power.
Geodynamics is the industry leader in enhanced geothermal system (EGS). Geodynamics has geothermal exploration interests in three Australian states, and holds the licence to explore 2,000 sq km of the Cooper Basin. Geodynamics tenements in the Cooper Basin contain the hottest granites on earth and are estimated to provide a thermal resource equivalent of 50 billion barrels of oil.
Tata Power intends to have a 20-25 percent contribution from "clean power sources", which will include a mix of hydro, solar, wind, geothermal and waste gas generation. Geothermal energy has been a key focus area for the company outside India. Tata Power is the only Indian player in geothermal energy sector and is also implementing a 250MW geothermal project in Indonesia in partnership with Origin Energy and PT Supraco.The company has invested in geothermal energy – both conventional and EGS – in Geodynamics, an Australia-based geothermal energy company, in 2008.
Speaking on Tata Power's commitment to clean and green energy, Anil Sardana, managing director, Tata Power, stated, “The commissioning of the 1MW geothermal pilot plant is a significant milestone for the project and with this we plan to strengthen our footprint in the international markets. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint through clean and renewable energy generation. Our aim is to have 20-25 percent of our generation portfolio from clean energy.”
Geothermal energy is the natural heat found within the earth, where temperature increases with depth, typically by 10-50 degree Celsius/km. In EGS technology, heat is extracted from granites located at a depth of a more than 4,000m by circulating water through them in an engineered artificial reservoir. The heated water returns to the surface under pressure and is converted into electricity via a heat exchanger and conventional geothermal power plant.
EGS technology can potentially enable the setting up of base load power plants that are based on natural heat, thereby making them a clean energy source for the future.
Tata Power intends to have a 20-25 percent contribution from "clean power sources", which will include a mix of hydro, solar, wind, geothermal and waste gas generation. Geothermal energy has been a key focus area for the company outside India. Tata Power is the only Indian player in geothermal energy sector and is also implementing a 250MW geothermal project in Indonesia in partnership with Origin Energy and PT Supraco.The company has invested in geothermal energy – both conventional and EGS – in Geodynamics, an Australia-based geothermal energy company, in 2008.
Speaking on Tata Power's commitment to clean and green energy, Anil Sardana, managing director, Tata Power, stated, “The commissioning of the 1MW geothermal pilot plant is a significant milestone for the project and with this we plan to strengthen our footprint in the international markets. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint through clean and renewable energy generation. Our aim is to have 20-25 percent of our generation portfolio from clean energy.”
Geothermal energy is the natural heat found within the earth, where temperature increases with depth, typically by 10-50 degree Celsius/km. In EGS technology, heat is extracted from granites located at a depth of a more than 4,000m by circulating water through them in an engineered artificial reservoir. The heated water returns to the surface under pressure and is converted into electricity via a heat exchanger and conventional geothermal power plant.
EGS technology can potentially enable the setting up of base load power plants that are based on natural heat, thereby making them a clean energy source for the future.