India’s Tamil Nadu Could Unlock EUR 72 Billion in Offshore Wind Investments – Report

February 17, 2025, by Adnan Memija

India’s Tamil Nadu is “in pole position” to be a major player in the country’s clean technology growth story, with the potential to deliver up to EUR 72 billion in economic growth and create an additional 805,000 jobs within the offshore wind manufacturing supply chain by 2030, according to a new analysis.

Launched by Ocean Energy Pathway (OEP) with support from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and COWI, the analysis shows that achieving India’s target of 37 GW of offshore wind by 2030 will bring substantial social and economic benefits to the country as a whole, and Tamil Nadu in particular.

India has the potential for 91 GW of fixed-bottom offshore wind along its coastline, according to the World Bank.

Tamil Nadu stands out due to high speeds, shallow seabed depths, and proximity to industrial hubs, which already represent 46 per cent of the country’s total capacity for manufacturing offshore wind turbines.

The study said that Tamil Nadu has a significant opportunity to become a major hub for offshore wind manufacturing, leveraging its existing industrial base and skilled workforce.

According to the analysis, government commitment, financial incentives, and supportive policies are crucial to attracting investment in India’s offshore wind sector.

“This report shows that there are tangible opportunities to supercharge the stellar growth that Tamil Nadu has enjoyed in manufacturing, through a strategic focus on offshore wind,” said Charles Ogilvie, Executive Director of OEP.

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The report calls for strategic and substantial investments to boost confidence and capacity, offering five recommendations to unlock this opportunity in Tamil Nadu and across India as a whole, increasing investment, creating jobs, and cutting carbon emissions.

It recommends establishing a clear pipeline with sufficient volumes for offshore wind development to attract OEMs to invest in new production facilities within Tamil Nadu and creating financial incentives for investors to accelerate the offshore wind build-out in India’s southernmost state, such as providing a guaranteed power offtake.

Additionally, the analysis outlines the need to set out a clear institutional framework articulating guidelines, regulations, processes, and responsibilities to make the opportunity more attractive to businesses and investors.

The report also suggests taking a strategic approach to developing public infrastructure, such as port expansions and transmission lines, while establishing clear local content requirements to maximise the potential of Tamil Nadu’s offshore wind supply chain.