(a) whether the Government proposes to develop desalination units to serve the potable water requirements of coastal areas;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to develop ocean current turbines for power generation along the country’s sea coast; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND
MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a) Yes Sir.
(b) Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), through National Institute of Ocean (NIOT), has developed technology for conversion of seawater into fresh water using Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD). Three such plants with a capacity of generating 1 lakh litre of potable water per day are operational in Union Territory of Lakshadweep at Kavaratti, Minicoy and Agatti and six more plants at Amini, Androth, Chetlat, Kadamat, Kalpeni and Kiltan Islands and an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion based LTTD plant of Kavaratti have been approved. Similar technology has also been implemented for generation of potable water at North Chennai Thermal Power Station using waste heat. A scaled up experimental plant for producing 2 million litre of potable water has been approved for Thermal Power Station at Tuticorin. Another solar assisted desalination plant has been set up recently at Kanyakumari on experimental basis.
(c) Yes Sir.
(d) Ministry of Earth Sciences, through NIOT has developed a small current turbine for harnessing kinetic energy from ocean currents especially in tidal streams. Design of scaled up turbine with 1-5 KW rating for remote coastal locations is ready with NIOT.