Offshore Wind Feasibility Study in India

Abstract

Offshore wind provides a scalable alternative to conventional energy resources. This chapter provides an insight into various activities of Ministry of Earth Sciences for the realization of offshore wind in India. To understand the hurdles in policy frame work for offshore wind, the evolution of onshore wind policy is analyzed and suitable strategies for offshore wind are proposed. Wind resource assessment results indicated a high offshore potential at Kanyakumari, Rameshwaram, Gulf of Khambhat, and Gulf of Kutch. Commercial viability studies showed levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of around Rs 10/kWh at identified sites for an internal rate of return (IRR) of 14%. Offshore light detection and ranging (LiDAR)based data collection platform has been installed at Gulf of Khambhat and Kutch to obtain bankable wind data for the development of offshore wind farms. A preliminary design of substructure by exploring different concepts like monopile, jacket, and gravity-based foundations was carried out based on their suitability for site-specific environmental and soil data. The port facilities along Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coast were assessed, and installation methodology was developed considering marine spread along the Indian coast.

Offshore wind energy status, challenges, opportunities, environmental impacts, occupational health, and safety management in India

“…In November 2017, FOWIND commissioned the country’s first offshore remote sensing instrument LiDAR. 76–79 The LiDAR unit was situated about 23 km from the Gujarat coast (Pipavav port) in the southeast direction, which is shown in Figure 9. Initially, before installation, the LiDAR instrument was verified against the 120 m long met mast in the test station, which is located at Tamil Nadu (Kayathar).…”

A techno-economic model-based analysis of the renewable energy transition in the Indian subcontinent region

“…Though India has one of the largest coast lines in the world, the eastern coast is seasonally affected by severe storms and cyclones due to the unique geographical irregularity there. Several development zones in the West (70 GW potential) and the South (60 GW potential) have been defined, and an initial capacity of around 6 GW has been planned on a long-term basis, by the year 2035 [8].…”

“…Allocation of new VRE capacity in the scenario has been done completely based on identified technical potentials by NISE [7], by NIWE [8,19], available transmission infrastructure [2,21], and it is observed to be concentrated mainly in the NR, SR and WR regions. Offshore wind development zones in the WR and SR regions are also utilized in this scenario, and over 6 GW of offshore wind capacities have been added at planned specific locations in the drafted…”