India's first tidal power plant planned in Sundarbans
Friday, 13 December 2002, 20:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: India's first attempt to harness tidal power for generating electricity would be in the form of a three MW plant proposed at the Durgaduani creek in Sundarbans delta of West Bengal. The ministry of non-conventional energy sources (MNES) has already carried out a feasibility study and documented a detailed project report. "Based on the recommendations of the detailed project report, the proposal for the country's first tidal power plant is being processed by the ministry," Minister of State for Non-Conventional Energy Sources M. Kannappan said Thursday in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. With a need to double power generation in the next 10 years by adding 100,000 MW capacity, India is looking at various non-conventional renewable sources of energy to contribute about 10,000 MW. Renewable energy sources like wind power, solar power, biomass and bagasse based cogeneration are being used in India for generating electricity. So far, 3,636 MW of generation capacity has been installed through these non-conventional sources. During the current fiscal year ending March 31, India hopes to add another 400 MW capacity through renewable sources. In 1987, government advisory body Central Electricity Authority had documented a techno-economic feasibility report for a 900 MW tidal power plant, but the project could not be undertaken due to the high costs involved. The Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Cambay in Gujarat and Ganga delta in the Sunderbans, the world's largest mangrove, are the three sites identified as potential areas for tidal power generation. "The experience gained in this project would be utilised in developing other potential tidal power generation in the country," said Kannappan. Several countries including Canada are currently harnessing the power of tidal energy through various methods. Besides tidal power, India is also looking to harness ocean energy. A project for harnessing ocean energy through water current turbine technology by revolving the blades of a windmill-like turbine standing on the seabed is currently in the experimental stage in India. This technology is being used in Norway. The MNES has meanwhile decided to adopt another tested technology currently employed by several countries. "The ministry is proposing to harness ocean energy through the tidal route using the barrage technology as this has been found successful in France, Canada, Russia and China," said Kannappan.
Source: IANS
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