CHENNAI: The tenders for offshore wind projects in Tamil Nadu may be floated within six months, according to Aneesh Sekhar, MD of Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation (TNGEC). Speaking at the three-day wind energy trade fair and conference in Chennai on Wednesday, he highlighted the state’s proactive approach to renewable energy.
“This is a great opportunity for Tamil Nadu, which is the second-largest economy in the country. It is the result of decades of proactive policy-making,” he said.
He further elaborated on the role of policy in supporting wind energy development. “The concept of energy banking, introduced in Tamil Nadu in the 1990s, has been a key factor in driving not only the growth of the renewable energy sector but also the overall economic progress of the state.”
“Almost 75% of windmills in Tamil Nadu operate in open access mode. The textile and spinning mill industries have been the major beneficiaries of wind energy and energy banking. This has also helped the state attract more investments in these sectors,” said Aneesh Sekhar.
Highlighting the key challenges facing wind energy, Lalit Bohra, joint secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said, “India’s wind energy potential is estimated at 1,100 GW, as assessed by the National Institute of Wind Energy. But we have achieved only 47 GW so far. We expect to add 5 GW more by the end of this year. From 2026 onwards, we aim to install at least 10 GW annually.”
Outlining the road ahead in the sector, Bohra said, “We have projects worth 23 GW in the pipeline, and several tenders are being processed to help us achieve more than 100 GW by 2030.”
He pointed out that shortage of skilled manpower has been a challenge and it is affecting expanding renewable energy.
“The wind industry needs to collaborate with educational institutions to develop a skilled workforce, not just for India but globally. It is high time Indian manpower takes the lead, and we should aim for the renewable energy sector to become India’s next IT industry.” the joint secretary said.
Sudeep Jain, additional secretary of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, emphasised the need for innovation, saying, “We also need more innovative business models. The ministry and state governments must work together to promote these new models. Policies are already in place, and Tamil Nadu has made significant strides in this regard.”
The three-day trade fair has attracted more than 300 exhibitors from across 20 countries.