New Delhi: The installed wind energy capacity in India has touched the 51.67 GW mark as on June 30 this year, Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi informed the Parliament on Wednesday. 

The addition of wind energy capacity in the country has been increasing steadily in the last three financial years from 2,275.55 MW added in 2023-24 to 3,253.39 MW being added in 2024-25 and 1,637.02 MW of fresh capacity being set up in the April-June quarter of 2025-26 so far, according to data tabled by the minister in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

The top three states contributing the highest share in wind power generation capacity are Gujarat with 13,816.68 MW of installed capacity, followed by Tamil Nadu, which has 11,830.36 MW. Karnataka is ranked third in the country with an installed wind power capacity of 7,714.74 MW.

The minister further stated that the target of 500 GW non-fossil fuel-based power generation by 2030 includes 340 GW of ground-mounted solar and wind. This comprises 110 GW connected to the Intra-State Transmission System (In-STS) and 230 GW to the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS).

He further stated that the government has issued the ‘National Repowering & Life Extension Policy for Wind Power Projects’ on December 7, 2023, providing a facilitative framework for the repowering of old wind turbines.

The minister said that the government has taken several steps to develop offshore wind power projects in the country, which include the notification of the ‘Offshore Wind Energy Policy’ in October 2015 to provide a framework for the development of offshore wind energy in the country.

Besides, for the initial phase of development, potential offshore wind zones off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have been identified through meso-scale studies and installation of a LiDAR by the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) off the coast of Gujarat in November 2017, and collection of two years of wind data has been undertaken. The NIWE has also conducted geophysical/geotechnical studies, a rapid EIA study, and oceanographic studies (wave, tide & current) for a site equivalent to 1 GW capacity off the coast of Gujarat.

A geotechnical study at three borehole locations was also carried out off the Tamil Nadu coast, and 4 LiDARs off the coast were installed for wind resource measurement. The geophysical study for the 500 MW site off the TN coast has also been completed.

The Central Transmission Utility (CTU) has completed the planning for the initial 10 GW offshore transmission capacity of 5 GW each off the Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coasts.

Besides, the government, through Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), has issued the first tender for ‘Leasing out Seabed for development of 4 GW of Offshore Wind Power Projects’ under captive mode/bilateral agreements/open access mode.

The minister further stated that the Union Cabinet has approved the 'Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for offshore wind energy projects' on June 19, 2024 at a total outlay of Rs 7,453 crore, including an outlay of Rs 6,853 crore for installation and commissioning of 1 GW of offshore wind energy projects (500 MW each off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu), and grant of Rs 600 crore for upgradation of two ports to meet logistics requirements for offshore wind energy projects.

(IANS)