Wind energy producers for grid expansion to evacuate power

Wind power producers want the government to utilise the National Clean Energy Fund towards expansion of the existing power-grid in the country.

Wind power producers want the government to utilise the National Clean Energy Fund towards expansion of the existing power-grid in the country.

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While having an estimated production target of 4,000-5,000 MW in wind power sector by 2015, the producers feel a strong need to expand grid for evacuating the power generated.

Currently, India, which ranks fifth in wind power generation, has an installed capacity of 11,500 MW and accounts to 6 per cent of India’s total installed power capacity. ‘‘There’s an utmost need to expand the existing infrastructure for evacuating the wind power that will be generated, which otherwise may lead to serious transmission problem,’’ Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturing Association Chairman D.V. Giri told Hindustan Times.

The government has levied a cess of Rs 50 a tonne on coal, to build the corpus of the National Clean Energy Fund. ‘‘A collection of Rs 67,000 crore is estimated over a period of 10 years. Once grid expansion takes place out of this fund, more domestic players would be encouraged to invest in wind power generation,’’ he said.

The association has also decided to prepare a base paper on utilisation of the clean energy fund, which it wants to present to the consultant to be appointed by the government on this issue.