The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) has published a notice inviting tender for construction of an experimental net-zero energy solar-geothermal hybridised building. The project will be located at CSIR’s Central Building Research Institute at Roorkee, Uttarakhand is estimated to cost Rs 778.3 million. Developers must carry out construction, civil, electrical, and maintenance services for the project within four months of commencement of work. Given that the technology is in its experimental stage, knowledge and prior experience will be prioritised in the selection of the developer. Prospective bidder must also submit a 1,500 word write up on how the different technologies specified will be installed and commissioned. Eligible bidders must also submit an earnest money deposit of Rs 155,700. The deadline for the submission of bids is November 21, 2020.
In October 2020, Tata Steel Limited and CSIR signed a memorandum of understanding(MoU) for the execution of carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies in the Steel industry. In September 2020, CSIR signed an MoU with the Central Mechanical Engineering Group to form a ‘strategic association’ to support the solar energy segment in India. Though the current tender for solar-geothermal hybrid energy represents the first of its kind in the country, geothermal projects have gained traction over the years. The Geological Survey of India identified 340 hot springs in the country with varying temperatures of which the springs in the Himalayan geothermal province had the highest surface temperature. In October 2020, the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology identified around 40 hot springs in Uttarakhand and 35 in Himachal Pradesh with high geothermal potential.