Context: The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has launched the “Integrated Ocean Energy Atlas” for India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), revealing the vast potential of marine energy resources.

About the Atlas

• Unveiled by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the atlas identifies areas rich in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, waves, tides, ocean currents, and thermal gradients.

• It provides annual, monthly, and daily energy estimates via a WebGIS interface.

• The atlas highlights the potential of ocean energy resources like solar, wind, waves, tides, and ocean currents. 

• It aims to guide policymakers, industries, and researchers in tapping into these resources for energy generation.

Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)

• It is an autonomous body established in 1999 under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. 

• It plays a crucial role in providing ocean data, information, and advisory services to various sectors, including society, industry, government, and the scientific community.

• Mandate: To provide the best possible ocean information and advisory services to society, industry, government agencies, and the scientific community through sustained ocean observations and constant improvements through systematic and focussed research.

• Activities:

• It provides round-the-clock monitoring and warning services for the coastal population on tsunamis, storm surges, high waves, etc. through the in-house Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC).

• It provides daily advisories to fisher folk to help them easily locate areas of abundant fish in the ocean.

• Short-term (3-7 days) Ocean State Forecasts (waves, currents, sea surface temperature, etc.) are issued daily to fisher folk, the shipping industry, the oil and natural gas industry, the Navy, the Coast Guard, etc.

Additional Fact

• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): The concept of EEZ was adopted through the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It is an area of the ocean extending up to 200 nautical miles (370 km) immediately offshore from a country’s land coast in which that country retains exclusive rights to the exploration and exploitation of natural resources.