In book: Emerging Energy Alternatives for Sustainable Environment, Chapter: Chapter 5, Publisher: TERI Press, Editors: D P Singh, Richa Kothari, V V Tyagi, pp.99-117
Abstract
Wind energy has proved to be the biggest renewable energy source for India in terms of installed generating capacity of renewable energy sources. The installed capacity of wind energy generation has always been more than 65% of total generation from renewable energy sources in last 5 years, while it was 7.4% of total electricity generation last year. The coastal states of the country are the biggest producers of electricity from wind energy and making India 5th largest wind energy producer in world. The installed capacity of wind energy in the country has grown at an average rate of 19.5% per annum in last five years. Indian economy is growing rapidly with rising per capita energy consumption of the population living in the new era of urbanization. To fulfil the demand Indian government is planning to increase generating capacity of electricity at a rapid rate with special emphasis on renewable energy sources, where wind energy is the biggest contributor which is planned for capacity addition of 70% of current installed capacity in next three years. With a large capacity addition in mind government has started various incentives, subsidies, financial help, tax rebates etc. to support market players. Different state governments have also announced their policies for establishing new wind energy projects in their state. The new policies announced through Make in India scheme of government are aimed to help in reducing the prices of wind energy equipments by large scale manufacturing of the equipments in India. The wind energy policy of government is aimed at promoting the installation of wind farms with a high growth rate in small time, less cost, creating large scale employment by private and government firms.