India’s New Government to Support Offshore Wind Power

Authorities & Government

India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will swear into office on May 26, will push the country toward renewable energy production, especially offshore wind and solar power, according to industry officials.

 

India’s New Government to Support Offshore Wind Power

Modi’s government could set up a policy for offshore wind power separately, thus paving the way for developers to erect first Indian offshore wind farms up to 12 nautical miles from shore, the Business Standard writes.

Hundreds of millions of Indian households still have no electricity access, and Modi’s government is expected to change this by tapping renewable energy sources as one of its top priorities. Beside the creation of clean energy supply, this will bring more jobs to the country.

Narendra Modi, who was running the state of Gujarat for more than a decade, helped power utilities and other companies to improve their businesses by removing political delegates from state ventures. This allowed for more professional and autonomous business approach.

His party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said in its election Manifesto that it will come out with a responsible and comprehensive national energy policy and “give thrust to renewable sources of energy as an important component of India’s energy mix”.

Offshore WIND staff, May 23, 2014; Image: Narendra Modi