VIJAYAWADA: The Energy department has decided to test the waters to identify the wave (tidal) energy potential in Andhra Pradesh, which has a 974 km coastline, the second-longest in the country.Two projects have been proposed to see if wave energy can be harnessed to find a viable source of clean, renewable power. While one energy plant is expected to come up near Visakhapatnam, the officials concerned are yet to identify a location for the second.
“We are in talks with an Israel-based company, Eco Wave Power, to set up wave energy plants on an experimental basis. The firm has already established 20-30 MW plants in Portugal, Spain and other countries. We proposed that a 100 KW plant be established to see if it is feasible as we have a long coastline. If it is viable, it could become a new source of clean energy for us to become a more power-surplus State and export it for the government to earn revenue,” New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) Ltd vice-chairman and MD S Ramana Reddy explained. The plants will draw energy from waves by converting the rising and falling tides into clean energy.
“BHEL, with funding from the Department of Science and Technology, has come forward to set up the plant near Visakhapatnam. There will be solar, hydel, wind, and wave energy plants of 1 MW each. The location hasn’t been identified yet. It will most likely be near the sea in an area where the tribal population is high,” Ramana Reddy revealed. The energy generated will be used for water purification in tribal areas, and desalination, among other purposes, he added.
If successful, the same could be replicated in other coastal areas, the official added.The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, in August last year, declared ocean energy as a renewable source. The identified potential for tidal energy along the country’s coastline is 12,455 MW, while independent researchers peg the theoretical potential at 40,000-50,000 MW, considering the national coastline of 7,516 km.
However, the attempts made so far in various States, including Gujarat and West Bengal, seem to have been unviable as tidal wave energy technology is capital intensive. In March this year, Union Power Minister RK Singh told Parliament the Central government has not planned to harness tidal power due to high capital costs involved, ranging between `30 crore to `60 crore per MW.He also said the governments of Gujarat and West Bengal dropped their respective proposals to generate wave energy due to the high capital costs.
Talks on with Israeli firm
REDCAP Ltd vice-chairman and MD S Ramana Reddy said they are in talks with an Israel-based Eco Wave Power to set up wave energy plants on an experimental basis. Eco Wave Power has established 20-30 MW plants in Portugal, Spain, and other countries.