Ahmedabad: A Request for Proposal (RFP) for India’s first offshore wind power plant is likely to happen next month, said Raj Gopal, Principal Secretary or Energy and Petrochemicals, Government of Gujarat on the sidelines of CII solar conclave.

‘Studies are over, area has been identified and RFP which is under preparation by the Government of Gujarat and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, should happen next month for the 1000 MW off shore wind project,’ Raj Gopal said.

The first offshore wind power plant will come up off Pipavav port, 12 nautical miles away from coast line, he said adding that around 35 national and international developers were taking interest in this 1000 MW wind power farm project.

He said, the project which is to be financed through power purchase agreement(PPA) will open up huge opportunities. It will be a pilot project in India for which technology is available.

Raj Gopal said, Utilization Factor (CUF) is much higher deeper into the sea due to

higher wind velocity. In on-shore project, erection of turbine beyond 2 MW size is not possible due to constraints pertaining to road transportation. In the case of off shore project it’s possible to go beyond 2 MW turbine as far as upto 7.5 MW. Wind power is in a way land intensive project and off shore would make wind power generation possible beyond waste land. With off shore plant, R&D, special manufacturing and lot of other activities will be seen very soon off Pipavav coast.

Related links:

https://mnre.gov.in/file-manager/UserFiles/presentations-offshore-wind-14082013/JS-MNRE.pdf

National consultation on Offshore Wind Power Development in India

Expression of interest for 1000 MW Offshore Wind Farm in Gujarat

http://www.fowpi.in/
DeshGujarat