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RESEARCH |
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India
Gallops in
Wind Energy Harnessing
Global demand for energy is increasing
at a breathtaking pace, and this
is particularly true in a developing
economy like India, says a study
made by the Export Import Bank
of India. In the forefront of
this renewable revolution is harnessing
the sustainable power of energy
produced from wind. India, with
a large peninsula belt, and two-season
monsoon, is having significant
potential in generating wind energy.
Apart from onshore generation,
India has also the potential for
tapping offshore belts for wind
energy.
Capacity & Production
According to the Global Wind Energy
Council, India added 1.8 GW during
the year 2008, third largest new
capacity addition in the world,
next to the United States and
China. According to the Ministry
of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE),
Government of India, wind power
projects aggregating around 10.24
GW have been installed in the
country till March 2009, across
10 states.
Total Installed Capacity in India
Source: GWEC, Exim Research
Specific policies have been introduced
by the state Governments (through
the State Electricity Regulatory
Commissions) to encourage setting
up of wind power projects. The
policies cover regulations pertaining
to types of investments, as also
the buy-back of power at a contracted
rate.
State-Wise Wind Power Installation
Capacity (MW)
Source: MNRE, Exim Research
Exports
India exported wind mill/wind
turbine, and wind-powered generating
sets (ITC HS Codes: 84128030,
and 85023100) valued US $585 million
during the period April 2008 January
2009. Exports of wind-powered
generating sets have been growing
(from around US $24 million in
2005-06). Exports were mainly
to USA (30 percent), Brazil (22
percent), EU, and Australia (20
percent each). Within the EU,
Portugal and Spain are the major
export markets for Indian wind-powered
generating sets.
Wind Power: Potential in India
According to the MNRE, Government
of India, the wind power potential
in India is assessed at around
45,000 MW, assuming 1.0 percent
of land availability for wind
farms, requiring 12 ha/MW in sites
having wind power density in excess
of 200W/sq.m at 50-m hub-height.
MNRE has floated a Wind Resource
Assessment Programme, which has
so far covered 25 states and union
territories, involving establishment
of 1050 wind monitoring and wind
mapping stations. It was assessed
that over 200 stations have been
found to have wind power density
in excess of 200W/sq.m at 50-m
height.
Wind energy has negligible fuel
costs and relatively low maintenance
costs. Though the capital cost
appears high, wind energy has
low marginal cost. The estimated
average cost per unit incorporates
cost of construction of the turbine
and transmission facilities, finance
cost, cost of risk, operating
cost and return for the investment,
averaged over the projected life
of the equipment (about 20 years).
In India the capital cost of a
wind farm ranges between Rs. 6
to 6.5 crores per MW (at present);
the estimated cost of generation
works out to Rs. 3000 to Rs. 4000
per MW, though in the initial
years it may be at a higher level.
Wind Energy & Environment
Wind power enables electricity
to be produced in an environmentally
friendly way where the turbines
do not produce chemical or radioactive
emissions. The energy sector today
accounts for 40 percent of world's
CO2 emissions. According to Global
Wind Energy Outlook 2008, the
global wind energy capacity could
reach 1000 GW by 2020, producing
about 2600 TWh of electricity
per year. This would save as much
as 1.5 billion tonnes of coal
every year. It may be mentioned
that India and hina are earning
significant carbon credits due
to wind energy development in
the respective countries. According
to Global Wind Energy Report 2008,
there are around 650 CDM wind
energy projects that are in the
pipeline, with more than 25,000
MW of wind power generation. Of
which about 270 projects, accounting
for 5,072 MW, are to be established
in India.
Outlook
According to the GWEC, India has
slipped to the 5th position in
total wind power installed capacity
at the end of calendar 2008, with
China overtaking it by a huge
margin in terms of both new capacity
(6300 MW as compared to 1800 MW
of India in 2008) and total installed
capacity (12210 MW as compared
to 9645 MW of India as of end
2008). Nevertheless, India has
been successfully managing to
leapfrog many European countries
in terms of new capacity additions
during the year 2008 to rank 3rd
after USA and China.
Despite the concerns about the
financial crisis and its spillover
into the real economy, the wind
energy industry continues to be
in upward strategic move to harness
the potential. With the fundamental
drivers (such as growing energy
demand, relatively low capital
cost, and relatively low generating
cost, technology and financing
support from developed countries)
for Indian wind energy sector
remaining strong, India would
be in a position to capitalize
the opportunity, not only in promoting
wind energy for the cause of mitigating
climate change, but also to use
this window of opportunity to
meet the growing power demand
faced by the country.
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