Title: Prospects of wind energy in India

Authors: G.M. Joselin Herbert, S. Iniyan, E. Sreevalsan, S. Rajapandian

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, St. Joseph's College of Engineering, Jeppiaar Nagar, Old Mamallapuram Road, Chennai–119, India, ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Anna University, Chennai–25, India. ' Wind Resource Assessment, Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET), Government of India, Velacherry–Tambaram High Road, Chennai 601 302, India. ' Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Deemed University, Jeppiaar Nagar, Old Mamallapuram Road, Chennai–119, India

Abstract: This paper is a modest attempt to study the growth and performance of wind farms in India. India occupies the 5th place in the world in wind energy generation after Germany, the USA, Denmark and Spain, and has an installed capacity of more than 2485 MW of wind energy, comprising both commercial projects (2418 MW) and demonstration projects (65.415 MW) as of 31 March 2004. This paper discusses the progress mode, wind resource assessment, technological development, environmental benefits and economics in the area of wind energy and also the policies of wind power development in India. It also deals with the performance and Pareto analysis of the wind farm located at Muppandal (in the southern part of India), with an installed capacity of 16.525 MW. It consists of 53 Wind Electric Generators (WEGs).

Keywords: wind resource assessment; wind power development; wind electric generators; wind energy; renewable energy; India; wind farms; environmental benefits; economics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.2006.011259

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 2006 Vol.26 No.3/4, pp.258 - 287

Published online: 10 Nov 2006 *

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