India will add about 30,000 mega watts (MW) of electricity through renewal energy with significant contribution from wind energy. By the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) the country is expected to have total renewal energy to the tune of 50,000 MW.
“At the end of 12th Five Year Plan 2012-17 the country is expected to have total renewable energy generation capacity of 55,000 MW, joint secretary at the ministry of new and renewable energy,” Tarun Kapoor said here on Thursday. India has renewable generation capacity of about 25,000 MW, Kapoor said at a conference on the power sector organised by International Trade and Exhibitions India ltd and ITE Group Plc.
Of the projected 30,000 MW capacity addition around 15, 000 MW would be from wind power. India is also looking at offshore wind energy on lines of developed nations like the UK, Denmark, which have a sizeable contribution from wind energy to their main grid. Offshore wind energy is more ‘grid friendly’ as the flow of wind to the turbines is regular, uninterrupted and also more reliable because uniform winds lead to less wear and tear for turbines.
According to Kapoor there are also certain issues such as financial health of power distribution companies, distribution companies and availability of transmission lines for renewable energy projects. Amid severe power shortage in the country there is increased focus on generating electricity from renewable sources like wind solar and hydro to bring down the demand supply gap.
At present India has an installed power generation capacity of little over 2 lakh MW.