Business Line reported that recent studies the wind energy potential in India and States such as Tamil Nadu have been underestimated.

Mr GM Pillai director feneral of World Institute of Sustainable Energy said that with appropriate policies wind energy can be brought to the mainstream to supplement conventional power.

Addressing media persons at a curtain raiser on Wind Power India 2012, a 3 day exhibition and seminar to start on November 28th, he said that over the last couple of years assessments of wind energy potential in India have averaged over 3 lakh MW against the prevailing 45,000 MW.

The World Institute’s study in Tamil Nadu said that just on wasteland alone over 35,000 MW of wind power generation could be established against 6,000 MW in place.

In renewable energy sector, wind energy is commercially viable and can support the Central Government’s target of setting up 60,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2020 to get 15% of the total electricity generation from clean technologies.

Mr Ramesh Kymal President of Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association said that the targeted additions to capacity can be achieved through domestic production. But appropriate policies are needed to support investors to add the wind energy generation capacities.

Mr Kymal said that measures such as generation based incentives for utility scale projects and accelerated depreciation for smaller capacities are needed.

Mr V Subramanian former secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and conference chairman said that wind energy capacity of about 18,000 MW in India now contributes just 3% of total electricity generation capacity against the targeted 15%. This represents a huge opportunity.

Source - Business Line

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