Digging deep: India's geothermal policy should be pursued with care

India's geothermal endowment is significant, though its share in the energy mix remains negligible

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has taken a forward-looking step with the launch of the National Policy on Geothermal Energy, setting the framework for exploring and developing India’s geothermal resources. For a country that has set ambitious decarbonisation targets, geothermal energy presents a largely untapped, zero-carbon source that can supplement solar and wind, offering round-the-clock renewable power. However, the promise must be matched by caution and responsibility. Geothermal energy harnesses heat stored within the earth’s crust. Unlike solar and wind, it does not suffer from intermittency, making it a stable source for base-load electricity generation. Additionally, it has