Coastal Protection and Marine Energy for Kerala, India

Energy from Sea, Challenge !!

We are all concerned about the coastal erosion and damages caused by Arabian sea. Many of our beaches and coastal villages are under threat from monsoon and recently started climate change related cyclones. They are also a warning to us about sea level rise in the coming decades. 

We have seen that seawalls built with stones taken from the fragile Western Ghats are failing to protect the seashore. We are also not sure how much money will have to be spent on tetrapods. Coastal mangroves would have been an ideal solution, but the population density may not allow us to create a 100-meter fencing using natural methods. 

Groynes made with stones or tetrapods are good to some extent but cause damage to the downstream area. Here comes the idea of using floating structures that can be fixed 200 (or so) meters away from the coast which can generate energy using wave, tide, wind and/or ocean current.

The objective is to protect the coastal area and generate electricity. It should also work as a marina, a tourist attraction with different possible activities, and should not harm the local marine environment. 

This is a challenge open to R&D institutions, engineering colleges, shipbuilders and/or startups interested to test their abilities to come out with viable solutions. We are also looking into collaboration with foreign companies, interested to be a part of it through joint ventures or technology transfers. 

Investment for a solar power plant with 1 MW capacity can cost around Rs 5 crore (around $ 70 million).  We should aim for 2 MW + installations as a pilot / prototype project. 

So, are you ready for AtmaNirbhar Bharat (Make-in-India)?