Potential of 8,000-MW in water basins

India is facing cost challenges in harnessing tidal wave energy estimated to be about 8,000-megawatt around its major water basins.

But the tidal energy cannot be presently harnessed on commercial basis due to high capital cost ranging from Rs.30 crores to Rs.60 crores per MW, conceded Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh.

He said 7,000 MW of this was in the Gulf of Kambhat, 1,200 MW in the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, and about 100 MW in the Gangetic delta in Sunderbans in West Bengal, citing a recent industry study.

The study was conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, in association with CRISIL (Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited) Risk and Infrastructure Solutions Limited, he told Rajya Sabha on 2 Jan 2018.

The report is titled “Study on Tidal & Waves Energy in India: Survey on the Potential & Proposition of a Roadmap” and is available at the website www.ireda.gov.in, the Minister added. fii-news.com