'State can generate a lot more wind energy'

Karnataka has the potential to generate a lot more wind energy than it is doing at present, according to Madhusudan Khemka, the chairman of Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers’ Association.

Speaking at a workshop on Thursday to discuss the prospects, opportunities and challenges of the wind power sector in Karnataka, he said, “This sector undoubtedly has a lot of opportunities in Karnataka. At 56 Giga Watts potential at 100 m hub height, Karnataka is attracting investment from both equipment manufacturers and developers. It is imperative that the Karnataka government outlines a clear vision for development of wind energy projects in the coming years. We are concerned about the tariff and tax structures currently present and are quite confident that the new renewable energy policy will address these areas successfully. India’s INDC (for the Paris climate change conference) has clearly spelled the development of renewable energy as a critical action point. Thus, the State government should expedite the policy on renewables.”

The INDC stands for Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, a term used under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for reductions in greenhouse gases that all its signatory countries were asked to publish before the Paris conference held last December.

Chintan Shah, president, Strategic Business Development, Suzlon Energy Ltd, said the workshop was an attempt to agree to solutions in areas of single-window tariff structure, grid augmentation and forest development. “At the Paris conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his vision to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. It has become increasingly difficult to identify non-forest lands for compensatory afforestation.

We request the Karnataka government to allocate lands identified by the forest department as deemed forest category towards wind energy projects.”

Also present on the occasion was Ramesh Kymal, Chairman, Renewable Energy Council, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Godrej GBC.