NATIONAL STRATEGY
India continued to advance its ocean energy ambitions, driven by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). India strengthened its global presence by becoming a participating member in the International Electrotechnical Commission’s Technical Committee on Marine Energy (IEC TC 114) and actively contributed to the formulation of international standards for ocean energy technologies, including the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Power assessment standard. Notably, India now leads a National Technical Committee on Marine Energy (ETDC 54) to review and formulate standards for ocean energy, and participates in the development of international standards as a P-member of IEC TC 114.
The Integrated Ocean Energy Atlas, developed by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MOES), is a significant milestone. This comprehensive atlas maps the ocean energy potential within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), providing valuable insights for future ocean energy development.
MARKET INCENTIVES
The Indian government supports ocean energy development through multiple ministries and departments, with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) funding projects on wave, tidal, and desalination technologies, the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) supporting research under the Deep Ocean Mission, Mission Mausam, and the REACHOUT programme, and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) providing research funding and fellowship support.
PUBLIC FUNDING PROGRAMMES
Under the Deep Ocean Mission funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), a Detailed Project Report is being prepared for a 10 MW closed-cycle Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) power plant and a 5 MLD open-cycle OTEC-powered offshore desalination plant. In addition, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) will undertake a deep-sea demonstration project to generate energy and freshwater on a floating platform using ocean thermal gradients, comprising a 100 kW gross closed-cycle OTEC module and a 1 lakh litres per day open-cycle OTEC desalination system at a water depth of about 1,200 metres, along with plans to establish a hybrid renewable energy plant utilizing floating solar and wind energy. Furthermore, NIOT is at an advanced stage of establishing a 100 m3/ day OTEC-powered desalination plant at Kavaratti Island in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
| Sl. No. | Ministry/Department | Stage-I Clearances | Stage-II Clearances (or NOCs) |
| 1. | Ministry of Environment & Forests | In-principle Clearance | EIA and CRZ clearance |
| 2. | Ministry of Defence | In-principle Clearance | Clearance related to defence & security aspects, related to Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air force, DRDO and other such institutions under MoD. |
| 3. | Ministry of External Affairs | In-principle Clearance | Clearance for development within the maritime zones of India. |
| 4. | Ministry of Home Affairs | In-principle Clearance | Clearance regarding deployment of foreign nationals in offshore blocks. |
| 5. | Ministry of Shipping | No clearance needed at this stage. | Clearance for projects near Major Ports. No Objection Certificate to operate away from shipping lanes. |
