New Delhi, June 24 -- India is looking to tap into its geothermal energy potential by converting disused oil wells into clean energy assets, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), told Moneycontrol in an exclusive interview.

The pilot is part of the government's Renewable Energy Research and Technology Development Programme (RE-RTD) and aims to install a geothermal power capacity of 450 kilowatts (KW) across the three wells.

"If the pilot is a success, then we will take up geothermal energy on a commercial scale," he added.

However, high drilling expenses have historically made such projects costly.

The new approach by the Indian government could significantly reduce costs, as abandoned oi...