India could add 23.7GW of additional wind energy capacity within the next five years with support from government policy.
That’s according to a new report from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and MEC Intelligence, which highlights wind energy’s “critical link” to India’s green energy transition.
Wind power accounted for the majority of the renewable energy mix in India, with 37.7% of cumulative installed capacity as of March 2022.
However, the report suggests the overall estimated potential “dwarfs the current installed capacity”.
It adds there is more than 600GW of onshore capacity and an additional 174GW of fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind potential.
The report suggests there is a “huge untapped opportunity” in the Indian market and provides recommendations including strengthening consensus and co-ordination between central and state governments, promoting technology exchange and alignment to the global wind supply chain and addressing the legacy challenges that have disrupted the development of wind energy.
It adds the market in India was affected by the pandemic, however, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy granted a blanket timeline extension which pushed the 0.7GW of delayed projects to 2022.
GWEC CEO Ben Backwell said: “This Outlook is published as the world faces a decisive moment; there is a narrow window of opportunity to halt the irreversible damage to this planet from climate change by making an urgent shift to clean energy. India can seize this opportunity but it must kick-start its energy transition after delays due to the pandemic.
“To seize this enormous opportunity, India must focus on three areas: Dialogue between the central government and the states to foster consensus building; delivery to help match timelines and targets and the potential for India to be a destination for the global wind manufacturers and suppliers.”
Source: energylivenews.com
