Government declares national targets for off-shore wind power: 5 GW by 2022 and 30 GW by 2030
The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has declared medium (5 GW by 2022) and long-term (30 GW by 2030) targets for offshore wind power capacity addition. The offshore wind power will add new element to already existing basket of renewable energy of the country.
Key Facts
The target set for offshore wind power is moderate in comparison to on-shore wind target of 60 GW and its achievement of 34 GW and solar target of 100 GW by 2022. This is mainly because of challenges considering difficulties in installing large wind power turbines in open seas. Moreover, offshore wind turbines are of much larger dimensions and capacities than onshore turbines.
Globally the installation capacity of off-shore wind power is about 17 to 18 GW. It led by countries such as UK, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands & China. Recent years have witnessed fall in off-shore wind tariff in some of these markets.
Background
MNRE had notified National Offshore Wind Energy Policy in October 2015 for this sector. Under it, Chennai based National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) was designated nodal agency to carry out necessary studies and surveys before final bidding of offshore wind project sites. It also serves as single window for facilitating necessary clearances required for development of offshore wind projects.
NIWE had identified southern tip of Indian peninsula and west coast with good potential for off-shore wind power. Moreover, preliminary studies were conducted are off coast of Gujarat and that of Tamil Nadu for development of offshore wind power projects. It had had installed India’s first offshore LiDAR in Gulf of Khambhat for measurement of wind resource and is collecting wind speed data from November 2017.
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Month: Current Affairs - June, 2018