Bid to tap wind energy in Dhanushkodi

Chennai:

The Centre for Wind Energy technology (CWET) will be setting up an assessment mast in Dhanushkodi near Rameshwaram to tap offshore wind energy potential and the data will be generated by the end of this year or next year, according to chairman and managing director of Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency Sudeep Jain.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of seminar on ‘Innovative Technologies in Environment and Clean Energy from Japan – Seeking Business Opportunities’ organized by Confederation of Indian Industry and Japan External Trade Organisation he said the state government has tied up with the Ministry of Non-renewable Energy since the sea bed is outside the perimeter of state government.

He said the plan is to tap the entire coast of Tamil Nadu for offshore windmill. He also said plans are there to tap Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC).

He also said the state government has embarked on a plan to build 60,000 solar powered green homes for people living below poverty line across the state.

He also said the state government has called for international bids for setting up solar street lights and solar home lights by March 15 and 16.

Jain also said Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency is organizing RENERGY 2012, an International conference and expo on renewable energy here at March 12-13.

He also said the state will announce a renewable energy policy soon to facilitate investments in renewable energy power generation projects for which the State has set a target of 10640 mw  in the next five years. The State will also come out with an exclusive solar power policy.

Tamil Nadu with an installed wind power capacity of 6596 mw, 42 per cent of the national capacity, has 14.5 per cent renewable energy share in the total power generation capacity. For the next five years it has set capacity installation targets of 6000 mw for wind power, 3000 mw for solar and 1000 mw of biomass power, Sudeep Jain said.