IANS reported that US based Astonfield Renewable Resources Limited has set its eyes on non conventional energy generation in India by exploiting offshore wind, tidal and concentrated solar energy resources.

The company has also formed joint venture with Areva Renewable, the green energy arm of the French energy major Areva, to implement 100 MW biomass power plants across India at an estimated cost of INR 550 crore to INR 630 crore.

Mr Sourabh Sen co chairman and director of Astonfield Management Inc said that “We are very interested to explore offshore wind, tidal energy and solar thermal to generate renewable power in India. We are looking at southern India and the Bay of Bengal for generating offshore wind energy and Rajasthan and Gujarat for concentrated solar energy.”

He said that the company is already into the fields of solar, bio mass and waste energy generation business in India.

Mr Sen said that the projects would be implemented through a 60:40 JV between Astonfield and Areva. The projects have been targeted for commissioning by 2013.

He said that “Areva will provide engineering, procurement, 40% of the total capital and construction to all these projects and work on the first 10 MW capacity power plant would begin in the fourth quarter of 2009 at Gangarampur in West Bengal.

(Sourced from IANS)