India to install 15GW of wind power by 2017

The Indian Government has set a target to install 15GW of wind power by the end of 2017. According to figures from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, total […]

The Indian Government has set a target to install 15GW of wind power by the end of 2017.

According to figures from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, total installed capacity of wind power in the country currently stands at 18,551MW, equivalent to around 9% of total installed power capacity. The cost of setting up one MW of wind power project in India is currently around Rs 6 crores (£732,000).

The Government claims it has been promoting wind power projects through private sector investment by providing fiscal and promotional incentives. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency and other financial institutions are providing loans for installing windmills across the country while the Centre for Wind Energy Technology providing technical support for the installations.

The Ministry claims more than 50,000 direct jobs have been created in the last three years in the renewable sector in the country.

India was believed to have been the third largest wind power market in 2011 after China and the US and fifth in overall installed capacity. A two-day blackout in the country last year, claimed to be one of the worst in the world, has encouraged the Government to increase renewable energy generation.

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