India is all set to enter the offshore wind energy space, as the country plans to install its first-ever offshore wind turbines in the sea. The massive windmills, with a capacity of 13 megawatts (MW), will be installed off the coast of Gujarat in western India.
The project, which is being developed by the state-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), will see the installation of two 13MW wind turbines in the Gulf of Khambhat. The project will have a total capacity of 26MW and is expected to be operational by 2024.
According to NTPC officials, the offshore wind turbines will be installed on fixed foundations and will have a rotor diameter of 150 meters. The turbines will be located about 23 kilometers from the shore and will be connected to the grid through an undersea cable.
The project is a major step towards India’s goal of achieving 450 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030. The country aims to generate 175GW of renewable energy by 2022, which includes 60GW from wind power.
India has been increasingly turning to renewable energy sources in recent years to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and tackle climate change. Offshore wind energy is seen as a promising source of renewable energy as it has the potential to generate large amounts of electricity and is not affected by land constraints.
The installation of India’s first offshore wind turbines is expected to open up a new avenue for the country’s renewable energy sector and attract more investments in the offshore wind energy space.
