India's Wind Energy Potential To Grow Twentyfold

The energy generated from wind turbines is wind power. The wind power plants are used to generate electricity, water pumping and many other activities. It is an alternative to fossil fuels, renewable, clean, no greenhouse emissions and can be widely distributed.

These turbines can be used to generate electricity on a small scale for factories and farms as well as large scale for cities.

The way wind turbines work is that the wind blows on the angles blades of the propeller, which causes it to spin and this way it converts the wind's kinetic energy to mechanical energy. Some turbines have sensors, which help detect the strength of the wind that is blowing, and from which direction. This way the propeller is automated to face the wind, thus, protecting it from damages in case the force of the wind is strong and coming from opposite direction.

How is India utilising wind energy?

Wind power was installed in India back in 1986, where the first few wind power plants were built in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu with 55 kW. The number of power plants have increased over the years. All projects have been supported by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). They have reassessed the potential and an estimation of wind power resource in India from 49,139 MW to 300,000 MW. Last year, 2015, MNRE has targeted that by 2022 the potential would go up to 60,00,000 MW.

Currently, the installed capacity of wind power is around 24,759 MW, which is spread around South, West and North regions of India.

Tamil Nadu has around 35 per cent of India's total wind power capacity. The state government of Tamil Nadu, understanding the importance of utilizing this renewable energy, had set up their own agency, Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) in 1985. The Muppandal windfarm has a total capacity of 1,500 MW. The total capacity of the state is around 7,253 MW.

Another state that took the responsibility of planting wind farms is Maharashtra. As of 2014, the total wind energy capacity is 4,167 MW. There are around 50 and more developers registered with the state nodal agency, Maharashtra Energy Development Agency.

Some of the key wind turbine manufactures in India are Suzlon, GE Wind, Enercon, Gamesha and among others.