INDIA’S POTENT WIND

Study: Wind Energy Could Fulfill 24% of India’s Power Demand by2030
Mridul Chadha, August 13, 2010 (Clean Technica)

"…[W]ith the right and sustained incentives to the wind energy sector, it can generate as much as 24 percent of India’s total power demand by 2030…[A recent] study conducted by the Global Wind Energy Council and the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association found that India needs a national level revolution in the wind energy sector similar to the National Solar Mission which aims at installing 20,000 MW of solar energy power plants by 2022.

"…[A]t 12,010 MW, [wind power] comprises of nearly 70 percent of the total renewable energy generation capacity installed in India… [India’s installed capacity makes it] the fifth largest wind energy market…[but] there is a huge gap in the installed capacity and the actual generation..."

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"…[India’s Suzlon is] the world’s third largest wind turbine manufacturer…[Suzlon] has now mastered the process of manufacturing, designing, installation, power evacuation and maintenance of the wind farm according to the customers needs…[and] has considerably streamlined the process of wind farm installation especially for the private players…[To deal with] the gap between installed capacity and actual generation…consistent investment in research and development needs to be made. Suzlon can lead the way here as well…[I]mprovements in wind turbine designs and generation systems [can] bridge the gap between installed capacity and actual generation…

"India [has] yet to assess the offshore wind energy potential…[and] current government data…does not measure the true wind energy resource available. With the improvement in technology and increase in the hub height of the wind turbine it has become possible to generate more electricity than thought earlier. India must utilize the vast untapped wind energy resource it is blessed with…"

Both Suzlon and REPower, its subsidiary, are among the leaders. (click to enlarge

"Tariffs for power generated from wind farm is the most competitive to coal-generated power among all renewable energy sources. Government-backed policies, availability of efficient technology and financial aid through Clean Development Mechanism have made the tariff rates cheaper…[I]ndependent power producers [can] sell the power generated to power exchanges or through individual power purchase agreements [for] higher tariffs rates. Similar, economic and financial incentives need to be offered to investors in order to sustain the growth in the sector.

"…[200 MW were] added from April to June this year…[thanks to] the favorable investment environment…[but] pockets of resources remain untapped, specifically, along the coastline. For further and sustained growth it is important that the government helps the private sector by, providing incentives in terms of attractive tariffs, setting up research and development facilities necessary for developing low-cost but high efficiency wind turbines and developing new sites for wind energy exploitation."