India to Build First Offshore Wind Power Project in Gujarat

OFFSHORE WIND POWER TURBINE

The Indian government has announced that it has signed an agreement to build the country’s first offshore wind power project off the coast of Gujarat. The 100 MW project will act as a demonstration for possible further expansion of offshore wind capacity in India.

The Memorandum of Understanding to set up a Joint Venture Company for the purpose of undertaking this offshore wind project was signed on Wednesday by India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, National Institute of Wind Energy, and a consortium of partners.

Shri Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy, was on hand to witness the signing, and described it as a great opportunity in the development of renewable energy resources in the country.

The Indian Government will provide subsidy for surveys and studies, as well as obtaining clearances involved for the implementation of the project.

According to the press release published by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, this demonstration project “will certainly provide enough learning to move into this sector by taking up similar viable projects in [the] future.”

Shri Piyush Goyal also noted that, given the country’s 7,600 kilometer long coastline, the opportunities for scaling up such a market “are humongous”.

In the same press release it was mentioned that India is preparing the announcement of a Draft National Offshore Wind Energy Policy, which will provide a “conducive environment for harnessing offshore wind energy” including the construction of the first offshore wind project.

With 22 GW of onshore wind capacity already installed, India’s plans to expand offshore is worth learning from.

Solar and wind are doing wonders even for Germany, Netherlands and Sweden, among other European/non-tropical nations…India is also following their footsteps

 

Reference: http://cleantechnica.com/2014/10/02/india-build-first-offshore-wind-farm/

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India Offshore Wind Policy to Target 1 Gigawatt by 2020

India is set to introduce an offshore wind policy targeting 1 gigawatt by 2020, seeking to mimic Europe’s success in generating power at sea.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will seek cabinet approval for the policy shortly, according to Joint Secretary Alok Srivastava. “Development of the technology has made offshore wind projects viable now,” Srivastava said by phone yesterday.

By 2018, the cost of electricity from offshore windmills will equal that of land-based projects in Asia’s second-biggest turbine market, he said. Wind farms in some states in India are generating power cheaper than new coal plants.

India, which has installed 21 gigawatts of wind power, is looking to expand at sea as the best sites on land fill up, while poor roads limit the introduction of larger, more productive turbines. It’s seeking advice from the European Union because the bulk of the world’s offshore farms have been built in the North, Irish and Baltic Seas.

The government plans to set up a new company by January to develop offshore projects, Srivastava said. State-owned generator NTPC Ltd. (NTPC), Power Grid Corp. (PWGR) of India Ltd., and a few others will form the business, which may start with 100 megawatts of demonstration projects along the coasts of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu states, he said.

India is also considering small, offshore farms for the Lakshwadeep, Andaman and Nicobar islands to reduce their dependence on expensive diesel generators for power, he said.

Reference: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-12/india-offshore-wind-policy-to-target-1-gigawatt-by-2020.html

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