India explores offshore wind farms

India is exploring offshore wind power generation possibilities with land acquisition and environmental clearances proving to be increasingly difficult.

With land acquisition and environmental clearances proving increasingly difficult for wind power projects, India is exploring the potential for offshore wind power generation.

Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Deepak Gupta said that a study is being undertaken with the help of Chennai-based Centre for Wind Energy Technology to ascertain the feasibility of setting up wind farms in India’s offshore areas.”We expect to complete the study in 2-3 years,” he said.

According to the Indian Express, apart from hurdles in acquiring 4-5 acres to generate one mega watt of wind power, environmental clearances are not easy to come by. Offshore wind power projects are in vogue in many countries, especially in Europe. Recently, offshore wind farms have cropped up in the US and China as well.

“Unit size is high for offshore wind projects. Offshore wind is the next big thing for India’s renewable energy. However, we need to map our wind intensity scientifically,” said Charu Datta Palekar, principal consultant, energy advisory services, PWC.