By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad and Monash University, Australia have suggested that geothermal energy—the use of the Earth’s heat to generate power — is better than solar energy in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

The researchers also suggest that a combination of renewable energy technology must be adopted in this era of dwindling fossil fuel reserves and increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

This analysis was undertaken by Prof D Chandrasekharam of the department of civil engineering in IIT Hyderabad and Prof G Ranjith Pathegama from department of civil engineering in Monash University.

Their research paper was recently published in the journal ‘Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources’.

The total CO2 emissions during the life cycle of a solar photovoltaic cell are about 3,312 million kg, which is far higher than geothermal energy source, which emits about 450 g/kWh, according to researchers report.