Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Tamil Nadu, Mah Ahead In Wind Power Generation


Wind-Power_Generation


Wind energy in India has a proven track record with 23,762 MW of installed capacity by the end of last financial year (31stMarch 2015), up from just 1,667 MW of installed capacity in year 2002.

A huge chunk of capacity augmentation took place in 2011-12 with 3,197 MW being added during the period. Further, tax benefits including Accelerated Depreciation and Generation Based Incentive (GBI) have further strengthened the growth of the wind energy sector in the country.

As per the present scenario, the wind energy distribution scenario varies across India. Southern and western states which boast of the highest wind velocity have the maximum wind capacity. Tamil Nadu is the leading state in terms of wind installations with an impressive 33% share in India’s overall installed wind capacity. Wind power plants in Tamil Nadu have generated 82 billion units cumulatively till the year 2013-14.

Other leading Indian states with the highest wind energy generation (Cumulative in BU) include:

Maharashtra (28)
Gujarat (25)
Karnataka (24)
Rajasthan (15)

Private sector investments in the sector are booming given the buzz surrounding wind energy in India. As per a report prepared by the Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL), India’s wind energy sector has the potential to attract approx INR 1 lakh crore of investments by 2020, if the tariff costs of wind energy continue with their downward spiral.  CRISIL has predicted a 4 GW of wind energy capacity addition per annum over the next five years.

The Government of India has reiterated its intention to persist with the accelerated depreciation and other benefits accorded to the sector to fuel the overall growth of the renewable resources sector. In addition, the National Wind Energy Mission with its emphasis on the development of offshore wind energy is also in the pipeline, which is also expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the wind energy sector.

Developing wind energy is an important facet of the Indian renewable energy development initiative with the nodal Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) estimating approx 103 GW of wind energy potential. Recently India has set itself a target of 60 GW wind capacity addition by 2022, as part of the bold initiatives by the central government which is looking at renewable energy as a means to secure energy security and help the power sector to reduce its harmful GHG emission levels.

Quite clearly renewable energy development is high on the government’s agenda and wind energy will play a prominent role in our journey towards being a zero-carbon based economy over the next decade.

Welspun Renewables has developed some of the world’s largest and most efficient wind and solar power plants pan-India.