The ministry of new and renewable energy is planning to install offshore wind farms in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu with technical assistance from the European Union.
These two states have been finalized as suitable locations for first Indian offshore wind farms, following a feasibility report by National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE).
The projects will consist of a 100 MW capacity. In Tamil Nadu, the project is likely to come up at north of Dhanushkodi and near Kanyakumari.
However, the project is awaiting approval of numerous agencies, including the environment ministry, as the Dhanushkodi region is part of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.
The initiative was taken on the context of European Delegation to India granting the Facilitating Offshore Wind in India (FOWIND) project to the consortium led by the GWEC in June 2013. In last December, a formal contract was reached.
The ministry of new and renewable energy will enter into a MOU with stakeholders in the public and private power sectors to float joint venture projects to execute the policy.
For offshore wind farms in India, gravity-based structures have to be adapted as depending on ocean bed conditions it only suits Indian climates, commented, R K Ghanekar, Institute of Engineering & Ocean Technology.
Recently, authorities announced offshore wind policy targeting 1 GW by 2020, taking inspiration from Europe’s success in power generation.