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GWEC has recently released it report – Global Wind Report 2021.
India’s renewable energy target of 175 GW by 2022 includes 60 GW onshore wind. As of February 2021, there was 39 GW of wind capacity installed, comprising 10.25% of the power mix. Growth of wind over the next five years will be driven by the expiry of the inter-state transmission (ISTS) charges waiver in 2023, as well as the trend of hybrid tenders combining wind, solar and storage technologies. The government has also shared its vision for longer-term renewable energy targets of 450 GW by 2030, including 140 GW of wind says the report.
However, installations are falling short of the levels needed. Climate Action Tracker has deemed India “2°C compatible”, i.e. on-track to achieve its NDC target and contributing a fair share of the global effort, but still falling short of the deeper reductions required to limit warming to 1.5°C. The government’s 2022 targets may also be missed, due to constraints around land allocation, grid availability, recurring financial instability of DISCOMs, tender design and PPA sanctity. Reviving a long-term national mission to scale up wind and renewables by resolving these challenges, such as through increased government industry coordination and knowledge-sharing, will provide a much-needed boost to the sector, it added.
The report said India is still on a pathway to poverty eradication and middle-income status but it has pursued an ambitious palette of low-carbon programmes, including liberalisation reforms to the power sector, 24/7 green power, clean cooking and energy efficiency.
Meeting India’s clean energy targets in the absence of a broader carbon neutrality strategy will require urgent and targeted implementation of regulatory reforms. Accelerating wind growth is also in line with the government’s principles of self-reliance and “Make in India” for energy security and supply chain competitiveness.
