The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) has launched Offshore Wind Policy and Market Assessment Outlook report, in which it sets out recommendations for the development of the offshore wind industry in India.
The report was developed as a part of the FOWIND (Facilitating Offshore Wind in India) project launched by the GWEC-led consortium in December 2013. The report reviews the experiences to date in major offshore wind markets (Belgium, China, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom) as well as puts the offshore wind sector in a larger context of the industry as a whole.
Although the technical, economic and actual ground conditions for offshore wind will be unique to each country, the FOWIND report seeks to draw out relevant policy and regulatory lessons for India.
“The Indian environment presents both unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to offshore wind. This report is one step on the long road to building a robust, sustainable and cost-effective offshore wind industry in India,” said Steve Sawyer, GWEC Secretary General .
“The Offshore Development in India presents both an incredible new market for the local and international industry, as well as an additional green energy source feeding the ever growing energy demand in India. It also shows good governance by turning the ‘Challenge’ (of required additional generation) in to a ‘Chance’; by investing into renewable energy and thus investing into sustainability,” said Mathias Steck, Regional Manager Asia Pacific, Energy & Renewables Advisory, DNV GL – Energy .
Specific objectives of the FOWIND project are to create an enabling environment for offshore wind through resource mapping and validation, policy guidance and capacity building measures, and to assess the infrastructure base and identify improvements required.
In addition, the project will seek to build partnerships at a technical, policy and research level both within India and between India and EU companies, research groups and institutions, with a final goal of developing an Offshore Wind Outlook and development pathway for India up to 2032.
Image: Greenpeace