MNRE Notifies National Policy On Geothermal Energy
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on 17 September 2025 notified the National Policy on Geothermal Energy (2025) to enable the exploration and development of untapped geothermal energy resources across India.
The policy is aimed at establishing and developing India’s geothermal energy sources in a sustainable, secure and responsible manner, so that they contribute towards the country’s 2070 Net Zero Goal as well as the energy security.
The policy document released by the government stated six goals of the policy. The stated goals are to improve research capabilities in the field of geothermal energy related to its development and deployment, techniques, management and cost-effective power generation. Another goal is to improve the collaboration between the various ministries, international geothermal development bodies and national research institutes. Another stated goal of the document is to deploy geothermal heating and cooling solutions for decarbonizing building, agriculture and industries. The policy will also promote geothermal exploration in oil and gas sector thorough collaborations with the various players. Another long-term goal of the policy is to build a robust public-private ecosystem in the geothermal sector, as well as capacity building and resource sharing.
A press release by the ministry listed out the key highlights of the policy. They are:
Research and Best Practices: Encourages research, inter-ministerial collaboration, and adoption of global best practices for geothermal energy development. Regulatory and stewardship responsibilities for geothermal energy will rest with the Ministry.
Integration with National Goals: Targets integration of geothermal energy with India’s Net Zero (2070) and renewable energy objectives.
Diverse Applications: Focus on electricity generation, space heating/cooling, agriculture (greenhouses, cold storage), tourism, and desalination.
Technological Innovation: Promotes R&D of advanced systems such as hybrid geothermal-solar plants, retrofitting abandoned oil wells, and Enhanced/Advanced Geothermal Systems (EGS/AGS).
Local Innovation and Partnerships: Emphasis on local innovation, joint ventures, and repurposing existing oil/gas infrastructure.
Collaboration: Partnerships with international geothermal bodies and pioneering nations, as well as collaboration with state governments, oil and gas companies, and research institutions.
Ecosystem Development: Building a robust public-private ecosystem for the long-term development of the geothermal sector.
Capacity Building: Promotes knowledge sharing and human resource development in the sector.
As a first step towards exploration of geothermal energy, the Ministry has sanctioned five projects in the sector. These include both pilot initiatives and resource assessment projects aimed at exploring the viability and potential of geothermal energy in India.
MNRE said that it will continue to monitor provide a conducive environment developers, industries and research institutes to actively participate in India’s clean energy transition.
