India - 27 locations in harnessing wind power

There are 27 locations in the coastal areas of India that have the potential for harnessing wind for power generation.

This was revealed subsequent to wind surveys carried out at 71 locations in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, Lakshadweep, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Minister of state for new and renewable energy, Vilas Muttemwar, informed the Lok Sabha that wind power capacity of 7844 MW had been installed in the country as of 31 December 2007, including potential coastal areas. He said a target of 10,500 MW of wind power has been planned during the Eleventh Five Year Plan period, including in potential coastal areas.

The minister also told the House that the strategy for promoting wind power projects through private sector investment is being continued during the 11th Plan, by providing various fiscal incentives such as concessional import duty on certain components of wind electric generator, excise duty exemption, ten years' tax holiday on income generated from wind power projects, the benefit of accelerated depreciation, and loans from Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA).

Technical support for wind power is provided by the Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET) by way of detailed wind resource assessment to identify further potential sites.

The minister also said that a higher tariff is being provided for wind power in all the potential states.