From 100 to 120 m, wind power potential doubles, says NIWE

CHENNAI: The country’s wind energy potential at a hub height of 120 metres is 695 Giga Watts, more than twice the estimated capacity at a height of 100 metres, estimated the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE).

Inaugurating a two-day International Wind Conference organised by the Indian Wind Power Association (IWPA) here on Monday, NIWE director general K Balaraman said his institute has studied the wind power potential of the country at the hub height of the 120 metres, which would be 695 Giga Watts. “We would soon release the report of wind potential at 120 metre,” he said.

According to NIWE sources, Gujarat has the highest wind power potential at the height of 120 metre, followed by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. “Tamil Nadu has the potential for 80 Giga Watts,” Balaraman added.

In contrast, for 100m hub height the institute has estimated the wind energy potential of the country at 302 GW. According to their recent assessment for 100 m hub height, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra have the highest potential.

Balaraman said that the forecast done by the NIWE has the error of less than 10 per cent. “The accuracy for the intraday forecast has gone up to 90 to 93 per cent,” he added. NIWE is doing the forecast for the wind mills on behalf of IWPA in the State.

IWPA chairman K Kasthurirangan said that the State has very high potential in offshore wind energy generation because of its long coast. “The country’s first offshore wind mill might come in Gujarat. Tamil Nadu should also get one very soon. The State government should act in this regard,” Kasthurirangan said.