Tidal Energy: A Case Study on the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambhat

India has an immense potential to harness tidal energy, as it has a 7500 km longer coastline that covers all along its three sides. As per the research study conducted by the National Institute of Oceanography and IIT Madras, it has been figured out that the most attractive places in India are on the west coast, which is the Gulf of Khambat and Gulf of Kutch, and along the Sunderbans Ganges Delta areas of West Bengal. However, the nation is still in the research and development process with presently no proposal to commercialize it. There had been attempts to capture tidal power but failed due to massive capital expenses of 30 and 60 crores. Nevertheless, by leveraging energy systems in India, power can be generated, which is very practical, and tidal energy electricity output has grown rapidly in recent years. In the current scenario, Gulf of Khambhat and the Gulf of Kutch stand out as major hotspots for tidal energy in India. Let's have a clear picture on its potential and how these regions can add value to the nation.

Potential of the Gulf of Khambhat's Tides

In the current landscape of renewable energy in India, there is an emerging interest in harnessing tidal energy resources in India, and Gulf of Khambhat has a huge potential utilization location of tidal energy. With the conversion of energy through tidal range into electricity, there can be heaps of advantages.

“In 2021, the Khambhat coastline near the Mahi estuarine area reported a dramatic increase in shoreline change from 113.9m to 831.4m over 40 years, with an annual change rate of 39.76m,” as per the research study conducted by researchers at Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N).

The Gulf of Khambhat Development Project, which plays a crucial role in creating a reservoir by constructing a gulf closure dam, which can accumulate about 10,000 million cubic meter water inflows of the rivers like Mahi, Dhadhar, Narmada, and Sabarmatiand, comprising 25% of total surface water resources of Gujarat. With the formation of this reservoir, it will serve as a lifeline to the population of Saurashtra region, contributing to the growth of the economy.

Gulf of Kutch as India’s Tidal Energy Frontier

Similar to the Gulf of Khambhat, the Gulf of Kutch is one of the other renowned locations that has a potential for tidal energy development in India with tidal ranges up to 8 meters.

YS Rawat, director of state archaeology department, says to Times of India that Kachchh was always at the forefront of maritime trade. “The region hosted innumerable foreign traders on its shores and has sent seafarers to unchartered territories right from the Harappan period. Research in the area will prove valuable to understand the role it played in history of the subcontinent”

As per the government of india estimations, the Gulf of Kutch has the tidal energy potential to generate 1200 mega watt. Concerning the initiative taken from the government of India, the partnership has been done with nations such as the UK and France to share insights and expertise in the domain of tidal energy. In addition to this, the government of Gujarat signed a pact with Gujarat Power Corporation Limited, Power Monitoring Expert Systems, and Atlantis Resource Corporation to develop a 250-megawatt tidal power plant in the Gulf of Kutch.

Environemental Impacts

The Gulf of Kutch and the Gulf of Khambhat is closely located near Gujarat which is second largest industrialized state in India. These are located mostly along the coastal marine areas which are ecologically sensitive regions. The Gulf of Khambhat has extreme tidal variations, supporting ecosystems whereas the Gulf of Kutch is abundant in biodiversity hosting marines species. However, due to industrialization which includes petrochemical complexes and ports, poses major threats to these places, leading to pollution and biodiversity loss. Besides, the climatic variations worsens sea level rise, can gives a threat to livelihoods. Even there is environmental impacts, by implementing sustainable activities the environmental damage can bring under control and help to balance economic activities making the tidal energy activities streamlined.

G Raghuram, professor, IIM, Ahmedabad says to Times of India "The Gulf of Kutch is less likely to face the problem of siltation than the Gulf of Cambay, there is lot of scope of other players to invest in the region as land is plenty and largely unproductive"

All in all, The Gulf of Kutch and the Gulf of Khambhat can make a significant impact on India generating considerable amount of power. Although, there are challenges pertaining to huge costs and sustainability, by considering the long-term benefits of tidal energy, lot of research and development including advanced technologies and stringent policies have to be implemented to make use of the potential of these locations. Considering the sustainable benefits for the entire nation, harnessing tidal energy in India, which can be a greater step toward accomplishing its eco-friendly goals and lowering its dependency on fossil fuels.