India stands at the fourth spot in wind power with an installed capacity of 40 Gigawatt. This piece will focus on the Indian government’s ambition and strategy concerning wind energy, five wind power plants, and the top five indigenous players in the wind energy sector. The key obstacles which hinder New Delhi’s ability to deploy the technology at scale across the country are articulated.
Wind Energy Target
India has set an ambitious goal to establish 500 Gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030, with the wind energy sector contributing a substantial 140 Gigawatts to this target out of which 110 gigawatts will be onshore, and 30 gigawatts offshore wind energy. The long-term plan is to generate 75 per cent of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2050, out of which 34 per cent is from solar power and 32 per cent from wind energy. Boosting renewable power share in electricity generation will be crucial to decarbonise the sector and attain net-zero status by 2070.
Wind Power Plants
- Muppandal Wind Farm, located in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, is the largest onshore wind farm in the country. The Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency spearheaded the development of this project, boasting an impressive capacity of 1500 Megawatts, and it was constructed in 1986.
- Jaisalmer Wind Park is in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. This remarkable project, with a capacity of 1064 Megawatts, was skillfully developed by Suzlon Energy. Construction began in 2001, and the current capacity reached in 2012.
- Brahmanvel Wind Farm is in the Dhule district of Maharashtra. The commendable development of this project, boasting a capacity of 528 Megawatts, is credited to Parakh Agro Industries.
- Dhalgaon Wind Farm is in Sangli, Maharashtra. The impressive construction of this project, with a capacity of 278 Megawatts, is attributed to Gadre Marine Exports.
- Vankusawade Wind Park is in the Satara district of Maharashtra. Suzlon Energy also built this park, which has an installed capacity of 259 Megawatt.
Top Operators
- Vestas India, based in Chennai, delivers sustainable energy solutions and is a market leader in wind energy with 57 Gigawatts of installed wind energy capacity.
- Regen Powertech Private Limited's head office is in Chennai, and the manufacturing plant is in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. They manufacture wind turbines, provide consultancy services, and supply and engage in wind-energy-related projects.
- Suzlon Energy Limited, headquartered in Pune, produces wind energy turbines and has a capacity of 23 Gigawatt of wind power.
- Enercon India Private Limited, headquartered in Mumbai, is involved in power generation, providing technical and business support. It has the capacity of producing 28 Gigawatt of wind energy.
- Indowind Energy Limited, based in Chennai, has expertise in wind energy generation from wind farms.
Challenges
- The first challenge is the high investment cost to build wind power as the goods and services tax on wind turbines has increased from 5 per cent to 12 per cent, which affects wind turbine production.
- The second challenge arises from the federal structure, leading to varying costs of developing wind power projects from state to state. To tackle this issue effectively, obtaining comprehensive data about potential wind project sites becomes imperative before initiating the bidding process
- The third problem is the lack of a skilled workforce, which causes delays in the completion of wind energy projects, thereby causing a slowdown in the country’s ability to increase the share of renewable energy in electricity generation.
Conclusion
In the discussion, emphasis on India's ambition to achieve net-zero emissions focused on harnessing wind energy as a component of their sustainable strategy. The country has set medium and long-term targets for expanding and using wind energy to achieve the net zero goal. The discussion included mentions of the top five wind power plants and the top five operators in the wind energy sector. I have also mentioned three obstacles hindering progress and need to be dealt with if New Delhi is to become a renewable energy-based economy.
End Notes:
- https://www.evwind.es/2023/01/14/countries-that-produce-the-most-wind-energy/89725
- https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/reviving-the-wind-sector-challenges-suggestions/2454196/
- https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/71811https://www.eletimes.com/top-10-wind-energy-companies-india
- https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/top-wind-power-farms-india/
- https://gwec.net/accelerating-onshore-wind-capacity-additions-in-india-to-achieve-the-2030-target/
- https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/renewable/india-will-get-75-per-cent-electricity-from-renewable-energy-in-2050-bnef/64885515#:~:text=2%20min%20read-,India%20will%20get%2075%20per%20cent,renewable%20energy%20in%202050%3A%20BNEF&text=New%20Delhi%3A%20India%20will%20generate,per%20cent%20from%20wind%20energy.
- https://www.iea.org/commentaries/india-s-clean-energy-transition-is-rapidly-underway-benefiting-the-entire-world
