New Delhi

India’s underground reserves hold substantial geothermal potential that could be used to generate electricity, provide cooling for buildings and supply industrial heat, according to a new report released on Thursday.

The study, titled The Future of Geothermal in India, was published by Project InnerSpace in partnership with Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).

According to the report, India has the technical potential to generate around 11,000 gigawatts (GW) of industrial heat, over 1,500 GW of cooling capacity, and nearly 450 GW of electricity through geothermal resources.

The analysis said several sites across India have underground temperatures high enough to support electricity generation, while many other locations could be tapped for cooling infrastructure and industrial heating applications.

The report estimates that large-scale geothermal development in India could create between 3.5 lakh and 7 lakh jobs, while also stimulating economic activity, particularly in the agricultural sector.

Karthik Ganesan, Fellow and Director of Strategic Partnerships at CEEW, said geothermal could become an important pillar of India’s clean energy transition.

He noted that as India’s energy mix increasingly shifts towards cleaner sources, emerging technologies such as geothermal can help ensure energy security with minimal environmental impact and without dependence on short-term weather fluctuations or long-term climatic variations.

The report also pointed out that although India began exploring geothermal resources decades ago, development has largely remained limited to pilot projects because of high exploration risks, uncertain drilling outcomes and the absence of supportive policy frameworks.

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However, it said advances in drilling technologies, improved subsurface mapping and India’s recent geothermal policy framework have made large-scale deployment increasingly viable.