HENNAI: Planning to tap offshore wind energy, the Centre has identified Tamil Nadu and Gujarat coasts to launch two pilot projects through a joint venture company. Sites for the proposed projects would be selected by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), according to Alok Shrivastava, Joint Secretary of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
The move comes in the wake of the European Delegation to India granting the Facilitating Offshore Wind in India (FOWIND) project to the consortium led by the GWEC in June 2013. The formal contract in this regard was signed last December.
Disclosing that the MoU would be signed in the next couple of weeks, Shrivastava said once the site is finalised, a joint venture between blue chip companies would be formalised. Besides MNRE, National Thermal Power Corporation, Power Grid Corporation, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency, Power Finance Corporation, Power Trading Corporation, National Institute of Wind Energy and Gujarat Power Corporation would be roped in.
The Ministry aims to tap 1,000 MW from renewable sector by 2020. “Through the two pilot projects, we plan to tap 100 MW of offshore power,” he said, adding that talks were on with the State governments. Additionally, the MNRE is also looking at having a pilot project in Andaman and Nicobar, he revealed.
Chairman and managing director of Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency, Sudip Jain, said the State was keen to see offshore wind energy gaining momentum. Once the nitty gritties were worked for the pilot project, the State would look forward to being part of the project. FOWIND would undertake steps to assess and promote offshore wind power development in India and facilitate the country’s transition towards low carbon energy future, said Shruti Shukla of GWEC. The project is supported with a grant of Euro 4 million from EU.
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