India Approves National Offshore Wind Energy Policy
A new policy approved by India’s cabinet will simplify its foray into offshore wind power, says a key stakeholder.
The National Offshore Wind Energy Policy approved by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Union Cabinet on Sept. 9 designates the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) as the nodal ministry for use of offshore areas within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. It also puts the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) in charge of offshore wind energy development in the country, authorizing it to allocate offshore wind energy blocks and to coordinate functions with related ministries and agencies.
India, which already has 23 GW of onshore wind power capacity, has a coastline of more than 7,600 kilometers (km) and has been thought to have enormous wind energy potential offshore.
For Indian wind-turbine manufacturer Suzlon, the new policy opens up new possibilities. “One of the key advantages of off-shore wind energy is that large sized projects of 1,000 MW and above can be built with the capacity utilization factor ranging from 45%-50%. This also enables better utilization of transmission infrastructure and better dispatchability, with insignificant impact on land requirements,” said Tulsi Tanti, Suzlon’s chairman, in a statement on Sept. 9. “We foresee offshore wind energy revolution in our country, given India’s very long coast line.”
Tanti said that the decision will “simplify and create a single window system for relevant approvals from various central government departments and state maritime boards, too.”
Suzlon is conducting a techno-commercial feasibility in Gujarat, where it says it has identified more than 1 GW of offshore wind energy potential on the Kutch Coast. “We believe, this is likely to be the first private sector off-shore wind energy project of the country.”
To increase energy security and diversify supply reliance beyond coal, hydro, nuclear, and natural gas, India wants to expand its renewable power capacity to 175 GW by 2022, including 100 GW of solar, 60 GW of wind power, 10 GW of biomass, and 5 GW of small hydropower. The country’s current installed renewable capacity stands at 34 GW.
—Sonal Patel, associate editor (@POWERmagazine, @sonalcpatel)