TN has 2,150TWh energy potential from ocean waves, finds Incois energy atlas

Chennai: Tamil Nadu's 1,076 km-long coastline holds the potential to power every household and meet future energy demands. An integrated ocean energy atlas shows the state has an estimated 80,192.4 terawatt-hours per annum energy potential from oceans.

Developed by Hyderabad-based National Centre for Ocean Information Services (Incois), showing TN with an offshore solar and wind energy potential of 77,901.92 TWh, with the first contributing 98.5%.



The TN coastline also has an estimated 2,290.48 TWh of marine hydrological energy where power can be generated from ocean thermal gradient (OTEC), salinity gradient potential, ocean waves, tidal energy, and ocean currents, with rough waves alone having an an estimated 2,150 TWh potential. The Indian EEZ along the 7,500 km coastline has an estimated integrated ocean energy of 9.

2 lakh TWh per annum. "TN, along with Gujarat, has high potential for trapping ocean and ocean meteorology (solar and wind). There is a lot of scope for harnessing wind and wave energy along areas like Dhanushkodi and Kanya Kumari," said Balakrishnan Nair T M, group director, Ocean Modelling, Applied Research and Services, Incois.

Consumption in TN, 1.25 lakh million units by annually 2023, is estimated to rise to 1.81 lakh million units by 2030.

Incois assessed the integrated ocean energy potential along India's EEZ using satellite data and a numerical model. At the atlas's launch in Sept, Incois director T Srinivasa Kumar said it will serve as a key resource for guiding policy and investment decisions in the energy sector. He also said that offshore renewable energy can significantly aid in the energy transition and develop India's blue economy.

Centre, as part of ambitious plans to develop 37 GW of offshore wind farms at 4.5 lakh crore through investment from multiple sources, will float the first tender to develop 500 MW of offshore wind energy off TN coast by March 2025. Purnima Jalihal, Group Head, Energy and Fresh Water Group, NIOT, said they may secure govt funding for an offshore OTEC plant, which will be mounted on a platform and moored in deep waters, with the design and project location to be finalised soon.

"No renewable energy can be cheap on day one. The capital costs are going to be high at least in the next two decades. Unless you set up bigger plants, which need govt support, you cannot talk about bringing the costs down.

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