Tamil Nadu to add 8,000 MW wind energy and solar power in 5 years

“Growth in wind energy sector in the state has been tremendous. Tamil Nadu’s present total installed capacity of wind farm is 6067 MW, which is 47 per cent of the country’s wind farm installed capacity. The state leads in harnessing energy through wind turbines and the state government is proposing a capacity of addition of 5,000 MW through wind over the next five years,” M Velmurugan, executive vice-chairman — Tamil Nadu Industrial Guidance and Export promotion Bureau told investors at a CII meeting.

“The state government’s proposed policy for clean energy sector will be announced soon. Besides wind power, the state will also promote solar energy in a big way. The new policy will aim at adding about 3,000 MW of capacity addition through solar energy (photovoltaic and concentrating solar power) over the next five years,” he added.

Velmurugan also said Tamil Nadu has a very good solar potential with longer and clearer sunny days as it receives very high solar radiation. The southern districts of the state have a high solar radiation and some locations have very high solar radiation of 5.8 kW per hour a day.

The transmission infrastructure of the state electricity board is able evacuate only 2,000-3,000 MW of wind power as against the required capacity of 6,000 MW. The state electricity board, which is under severe financial stress, has sought assistance to the tune of about Rs 4,000 crore from central government’s clean energy fund.

G Balachandar, www.mydigitalfc.com/