Highlights

-India is the fifth largest wind power producer in the world after Germany, the USA, Denmark and the UK, with a wind power generation capacity of 1,267 MW, of which 1,210 MW has come through commercial projects
-The wind energy potential in India has been estimated at 45,000 MW
-Wind is one of the largest RE source in the country, based on mean annual wind power density (MAWPD)
-The Wind Resource Assessment Programme (WRAP) carried out in India to reassess the wind potential was one of the largest programmes of this kind in the world covering around 900 wind monitoring and mapping stations in 24 states and union territories. This programme is being implemented by the state nodal agencies (SNAs) and C-WET through the Wind Energy Survey Project. WRAP has so far identified 192 potential sites in 13 states
-States with high wind power potential are Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. About 6.5 billion units of electricity have been fed to various state grids from wind power projects (Table 1.2). Almost 80% of the power thus generated has been used for captive consumption, and the rest sold to the grid or to a third party
-Some 26 project sites have been developed in the high potential states under the Demonstration Programme, resulting in a capacity of 57 MW
-At least 15 domestic companies are manufacturing wind power turbines and components, either in joint venture or license production from international collaborators, achieving an annual turnover of Rs 1,500 crore. Wind electric generators ranging from 55 to 750 kW rating have been developed and manufactured in the country by using the latest technologies.
-State-of-the-art wind power technologies are now indigenously available in India. An annual production capacity of 500 MW has been established. Wind electric generators up to 750 kW unit capacity are now being manufactured. Blades, a crucial component of wind turbines, is manufactured in India. Nearly 80 per cent indigenisation has been achieved
-R&D activities have been undertaken through research institutions, laboratories, technical centres