Message-ID: <199702032138.NAA06882@cdp.igc.apc.org> Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 13:38:00 -0800 From: Tom Gray <mailto:tomgray@IGC.ORG> Subject: --India Wind Booms To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
WIND POWER MOVES AHEAD OF PLANNERS IN INDIAWind energy is becoming the primary success story, according to government figures, in India's bold effort to promote renewables during its Eighth Five-Year Plan, which runs from 1992-1997.
Currently, the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) said in a recent report, installed wind capacity totals some 730 MW, nearly 50% higher than India's initial goal of 500 MW for the Five-Year Plan.
Wind's success must be welcome, in view of the fact that other renewable energy sources with the exception of photovoltaics (PV) are lagging. India established an overall goal of 2,000 MW of new capacity from renewables during the plan period, or 10% of all estimated new generating capacity. The following data, from an article by B. S. K. Naidu of the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) in the June issue of Energy Policy magazine, shows technology components of the plan and their progress through September, 1995:
Technology Goal (through 3/97) Installed (9/95)
Small hydro (<3 MW) 600 122
Wind 500 557
Bioenergy 500 28
Cogeneration 300 10
Solar thermal 30 -
Solar photovoltaic 25 17
Other 45 -
Total 2000 734
According to Naidu, the country is implementing the world's largest wind resource assessment program, with over 600 stations in 25 states recording data. Some 25 wind turbine manufacturing companies are building or assembling machines in India, Naidu said, and the country's ultimate wind potential is estimated at 20,000 MW.
"India is one of the very few developing countries," Naidu said, "which has embarked upon an environmentally conscious development path and has launched policy initiatives to accelerate renewable energy development for sustainability. If 2,000 MW of renewable electric capacity can be achieved during 1992-1997, India would have special pride of place in the world community, having added nearly [a] 10% share of renewables in its [new] capacity addition program in a span of five years."
If the plan's goal is completed successfully, Naidu added, India would move on toward longer-range goals of 10,000 MW of renewable generating capacity by the year 2010 and 50,000 MW by 2020.
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