The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (Incois) has introduced a groundbreaking tool—the Integrated Ocean Energy Atlas. This atlas showcases the substantial renewable energy potential within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It covers a range of marine and hydrological energy sources, providing crucial insights for various stakeholders.
Key Features of the Atlas
- Energy Sources Covered:
- Marine Meteorological Energy: Solar and wind.
- Hydrological Energy: Waves, tides, currents, ocean thermal gradients, and salinity gradients.
- Data and Accessibility:
- The atlas provides detailed annual, monthly, and daily estimates of ocean energy components.
- Data is accessible via a WebGIS interface with a resolution of five kilometers.
- Energy estimates are available for five sectors within the Indian EEZ.
- Energy Projections:
- The total integrated ocean energy is estimated to be approximately 9.2 lakh terawatt-hours (TWh) per annum.
Significance and Future Impact
- Policy and Investment Guidance:
- Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar, Director of Incois, emphasized the atlas’s role in shaping policy and guiding investments in the energy sector.
- The atlas aims to support the growth of offshore renewable energy sources, which include solar, wind, wave, tidal, ocean thermal, and salinity gradient energy.
- Potential for India’s Energy Transition:
- The atlas highlights the largely untapped potential of offshore renewable energy, which could significantly contribute to India’s energy transition and bolster its blue economy.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):
- What does the Integrated Ocean Energy Atlas launched by Incois primarily highlight?
- A) The geological formations of India’s EEZ
- B) The renewable energy potential within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone
- C) The fishing resources of the Indian Ocean
- D) The marine biodiversity of India’s EEZ
- Which of the following energy sources are included in the atlas?
- A) Solar and wind
- B) Coal and natural gas
- C) Geothermal and nuclear
- D) Biomass and hydro
- What is the resolution of the data provided in the WebGIS interface of the atlas?
- A) One kilometer
- B) Five kilometers
- C) Ten kilometers
- D) Twenty kilometers
- What is the projected total integrated ocean energy estimated at per annum?
- A) 5 lakh terawatt-hours (TWh)
- B) 7.5 lakh terawatt-hours (TWh)
- C) 9.2 lakh terawatt-hours (TWh)
- D) 10 lakh terawatt-hours (TWh)
- Who is the Director of Incois who presented the atlas?
- A) Dr. R. S. Sharma
- B) Dr. P. K. Reddy
- C) Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar
- D) Dr. M. A. Khan