Windergy India 2023: Tamil Nadus Strategy to Regain Wind Energy Dominance
Posted on: 05/Oct/2023 11:46:35 AM
Tamil Nadu is determined to reclaim its position as the leading state in wind energy, bolstered by a range of policy incentives, according to Rajesh Lakhoni, Chairman and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd. (TANGEDCO).
Speaking at the Windergy India 2023 trade fair and conference in Chennai, Lakhoni acknowledged that Gujarat had overtaken Tamil Nadu in terms of installed wind power capacity by several hundred megawatts. However, he highlighted Tamil Nadu`s unique advantage - a consistent supply of wind power for three to four months each year, making it available round the clock.
During the recent wind energy season, Tamil Nadu met 40% of its power requirement through wind energy, leading to the temporary shutdown of coal power plants. Lakhoni anticipated further reductions in coal plant dependence when offshore wind energy becomes operational, extending the availability of wind energy from June to February.
In contrast to a hybrid wind and solar model, Tamil Nadu is exploring pumped storage and plans to introduce policies incentivizing solar generation. Additionally, the state will soon introduce a repowering policy to replace aging wind turbines. However, Lakhoni acknowledged challenges, such as addressing the financial burden posed by the banking facility for wind energy and refining wind energy forecasting methods.
Dinesh Jagdale, Joint Secretary of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, emphasized the promising outlook for the wind energy sector and its role in India`s energy transition. Regarding the industry`s request for a production-linked incentive scheme (PLI), Jagdale cautioned that most wind component manufacturing was already localized and urged careful consideration of resource allocation.
H.E. Freddy Svane, Danish Ambassador to India, expressed Denmark`s interest in supporting India`s on-shore, off-shore, and near-shore wind energy initiatives.
D. V. Giri, Secretary-General of the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association, and Hansraj Verma, Chairman and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation, also shared insights during the event.
