New Delhi: Union renewable energy minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday said that India has achieved 51.5 GW wind energy capacity, which is 150 per cent growth in a decade, and is now exporting turbines and components globally. The minister also said that India has the fourth-largest wind power capacity in the world, while it is the third-largest renewable energy producer.
Addressing the Global Wind Day celebrations in Bengaluru, the minister also said that India is going to become the manufacturing hub of the world. “We will be competing with many of our neighbours, including Vietnam and China. So when we want to compete there, the basic thing we need is power. So in this power, we need renewable energy and conventional energy also, but we need more renewable power,” Joshi said.
In a post on X earlier, Joshi also said that India has achieved 51.5 GW wind capacity, 150 per cent growth in a decade and is now exporting turbines and components globally. “We are moving steadily towards the 100 GW wind target by 2030, including 30 GW from offshore projects, backed by strong policy reforms and a robust manufacturing ecosystem,” he said on the occasion of Global Wind Day.
Underlining the three key critical issues for the wind energy sector, the minister said that the government is backing this sector with full seriousness and this year’s renewable energy budget has gone up by 53 per cent, to Rs 26,549 crore, with a large share directed to wind.
Elaborating on the issues, he said that first, we must combine wind with solar and storage to deliver round-the-clock power and grid stability. “Second, tariffs must be competitive. A rate of Rs 3.90 per unit is too high and we must work together to reduce costs. And third, domestic manufacturing must become more efficient, not just to meet our own targets, but to boost exports,” the minister said.
“I am happy to note that India is manufacturing wind turbines ranging from 225 KW to 5.2 MW, with 33 models being produced by 14 companies. These turbines meet our domestic needs and are also cost-competitive globally. The transition to renewables is inevitable. States must lead this transition. Land availability and transmission delays have to be overcome. This is not the time for hesitation, it is the time for execution,” the minister added.
On the future growth in the wind energy sector, Joshi also emphasised to fully unlock national wind potential, especially in some states. “We need a coordinated national push and that is why we are focusing on 5 priorities — expanding into new states like Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha, launching the offshore sector with 4 GW of leasing areas identified in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, integrating wind into round-the-clock and firm green power strategies, modernising the grid, investing in AI-based forecasting to manage variable renewable energy and boosting local manufacturing across the entire wind value chain,” he said.
