2011 International Conference on Alternative Energy in Developing Countries and Emerging Economies
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During 2009-10, the wind energy capacity grew up
15.3 percent with an addition of 1565 MW. The state of
Karnataka is planning to add
4,000 MW of wind
energy capacity
in the next four years.
The solar energy sector which is in its nascent stage
of development is also set to receive massive
investments and incentives in the short and medium-
term. The Indian government aims to add 1100 MW of
solar energy capacity by 2013 and eventually increase
it to 20,000 MW by 2022. In order to achieve this
seeming impossible goal the government has
announced a battery of financial incentives to attract
private investors and reward the existing investors.
SOLAR RADIATION MAP OF INDIA
The government now offers project developers tax
breaks and option to form power purchase agreements
with power exchanges to provide financial flexibility.
All state electricity boards will have to get 10 percent
of their power supply from renewable energy sources
by the end of 2010 and then increase the share of
power produced by clean energy sources by one
percent every year till 2020. Most of this power is
likely to come from wind and solar energy plants.
The government has also set an attractive power
tariff of Rs. 17.91 per kWh for power generated from
solar PV plants. This tariff is about three to five times
of the tariff for power generated from conventional
sources like coal and gas. To assure returns to investors
the government has also set up a security fund which
would pay the project developers in case the state
utilities default on their payments. The government is
also looking to launch feed-in tariff schemes which
would allow homeowners to install solar PV systems
and sell surplus power to the utilities at premium.
WIND DENSITY MAP OF INDIA
In terms of wind power installed capacity, India is
ranked 5
th
in the World. Today India is a major player
in the global wind energy market. The potential is far
from exhausted. Indian Wind Energy Association has
estimated that with the current level of technology, the
‘on-shore’ potential for utilization of wind energy for
electricity generation is of the order of 65,000 MW.
The unexploited resource availability has the potential
to sustain the growth of wind energy sector in India in
the years to come.
Wind in India are influenced by the strong south-
west summer monsoon, which starts in May-June,
when cool, humid air moves towards the land and the
weaker north-east winter monsoon, which starts in
October, when cool, dry sir moves towards the ocean.
During the period march to August, the winds are
uniformly strong over the whole Indian Peninsula,
except the eastern peninsular coast. Wind speeds
during the period November to march are relatively
weak, though higher winds are available during a part
of the period on the Tamil Nadu coastline.
The installed wind power capacity of India is
11807.00 MW as of March 2010. It is expected that by
the end of 2012, India's wind power capacity will reach
6,000 MW. Out of the total power capacity installed in
India, wind power energy accounts for about 6%. It
generates 1.6% of India's total power. According to the
estimations of Indian Wind Energy Association, India
has the 'on-shore capability to utilize 65,000 MW of
wind energy for the generation of electricity. India has
