India’s offshore wind development will kick off in Gujarat, as the first LiDAR that will monitor wind conditions at sea is expected to be installed by the end of this month off the coast of the country’s westernmost state.
Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), which has been working on the Facilitating Offshore Wind in India (FOWIND) project for the past three years, has informed that the first offshore wind research platform will be set up off Gujarat as part of the project.
The platform is being developed jointly by the FOWIND consortium, the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), and the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), with the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) providing technical support.
The FOWIND project’s main objective is to promote offshore wind power development in order to facilitate India’s transition towards a low carbon energy future. Specific objectives include creating an enabling environment through resource mapping, policy guidance and capacity building measures to unlock the offshore potential in India, as well as utilisation of EU offshore learning to reduce technical barriers and financial risks.
The project also aims to undertake techno-commercial studies to showcase the potential of offshore wind projects, create strategic partnerships, and to develop an offshore wind outlook and development pathway for India up to 2032.
In June 2016, GWEC launched the “Supply Chain, Port Infrastructure and Logistics Study” report for offshore wind development in the states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu in India, saying the study is a significant step forward in preparing a roadmap for offshore wind power in India by the FOWIND consortium.