As India is moving towards a transition to cleaner forms of energy, the wind energy potential of India will play an important role in the country’s goal of reducing the carbon intensity of the nation’s economy by less than 45% by the end of the decade.
India ranks 4th globally after China, the United States, and Germany in terms of installed wind energy capacity with 44.09 GW as of August 2023.
India is a hub for wind manufacturing and has an existing annual capacity of 10-12 GW. Due to a slowdown in the domestic market in the last few years, this capacity has remained under-utilized. This is going to change as the domestic market is expected to see an increase in tender volumes.
India needs accelerated deployment and commissioning of wind power projects if it is expected to achieve 140 GW of wind capacity by 2030, and advance towards the long-term goal of net zero by 2070.
The three major drivers of wind growth in India are:
Cost competitiveness of wind in the overall mix;
Compliance of wind RPO (Renewable Purchase Obligation) targets by states and other obligated entities; and
Dedicated grid infrastructure for integration
While onshore wind power has been the backbone of India’s RE journey, a growing domestic and international appetite exists to tap into India’s significant offshore wind resource.
The Indian offshore wind market is expected to accelerate towards 2027 with annual installations increasing from 1.8 GW in 2022 to 2.8 in 2023, 3.7 GW in 2024. Overall, India’s wind market offers an opportunity for 21.1 GW of installations from 2023-2027.
Owing to various initiatives such as ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, India is witnessing a revolution in its domestic manufacturing capabilities. India has 11.5 GW of nacelle (a wind energy component) manufacturing capacity in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu.
As for becoming a global export hub, India can play a critical role in supplying global wind energy. It just needs to address key priorities like technology alignment, convergence in costs, and a supportive tax and incentive regime to enhance its competitiveness in the global wind supply chain.
One key strategy driving India’s wind energy expansion is the integration of wind and solar power. Many states with high wind potential such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat also enjoy abundant solar resources.
This synergy, with wind-solar hybrid projects, allows for greater benefits in achieving the capacity utilization factor of stand-alone projects.
Harnessing the natural power of the wind to generate electricity has seen a surge in popularity across the globe as the world continues to prioritize renewable energy, with countries investing heavily in wind energy infrastructure.
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