Wind Power In India

By Paul Homewood

From the “Wouldn’t it be nice if we were all like China and India” Dept:

India has ranked consistently in the top 5 markets globally in terms of total installed wind capacity for most this decade. During 2016, India set a new national record with 3.6 GW of new installations, 2016’s 4th largest market. Indian wind installations accounted for a 6.6 percent share of the global market in 2016. By the end of August 2017, the installed capacity has crossed 32.6 GW across the country. Among renewables, wind power accounts for almost two-thirds of the installed capacity.

India, arguably one of the most exciting markets for the next few years, recorded USD 9.7 billion in 2016. India was also among the top 10 investing countries in renewable energy. In its 2017 report E&Y lists India as one of the top 5 markets under its ‘most attractive renewable energy markets’.

Official projections for 2022 are to see a total installed capacity of 60 GW of wind power in India. Looking towards a strong clean energy future India has published its offshore wind policy. We closely support the central government and the states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu to facilitate the advent of an offshore wind sector at the earliest. FOWIND is at the forefront of this work.

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Jolly big figures, but what does it all mean?

According to BP data, India had wind capacity of 28.7 GW last year, producing 44.8 TWh, translating into a capacity loading of 17.8%.

With total electricity output of 1400 TWh, wind supplied just 3.2%.

If we now fast forward to 2022, when 60 GW of wind power is targeted, this figure will only rise to 6.7%. And this assumes that total electricity production does not increase, which is highly unlikely.

Renewable lobbyists like to talk about how quickly wind power has grown in places like India. But from what? It hardly existed a decade ago.

An additional 31 GW by 2022 is about the equivalent of three large CCGT plants. In an electricity market four times the size of the UK, this is piffling.