India - HPCL wind power debut soon

In another six months, oil marketing-cum-refining company Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) will stage its debut in wind power sector. The company will start generating 25 mw power from wind farms coming up in Karnataka and Maharashtra, which form part of an ambitious Rs 500 crore project to take the capacity to 100 mw. “The wind power project will be implemented in stages. In the first phase, we will go for 25 mw. In another six months from the date of commissioning of the first phase, the next 25 mw will become operational,” MA Tankiwala, HPCL’s director of refineries, who is also heading the wind farm projects, said. The location of wind farms will be finalised shortly, he added.

The foray will yield carbon credits, tax breaks and depreciation benefits for the company and a likely revenue of Rs 3-4 per unit. HPCL will target the rural sector and rural population which now bank on kerosene for lighting purpose. For the company, this will help in reducing the subsidy burden that has fallen on it on account of kerosene. HPCL will shortly choose the turbine manufacturer for the 25 mw pilot project for which tenders have already been floated. The company is looking at a turbine size of around 1 mw. Vestas RRB and Suzlon Energy are vying for this contract. “The selection process is in an advanced stage,” Tankiwala said. HPCL is also setting up a 10 mw wind farm in association with the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency at an investment of Rs 50 crore.