PROJECT CONCEPT NOTE

Project
Title:

Development of Wind Power Parks in Maharashtra,

Gujarat, and Rajasthan

Background:

The countrys electricity demand is consistently outstripping supply since

the past few decades. The electricity demand is spread out unevenly given the growth of
population and growing economic and industrial activities centered on the major cities alone.
Energy shortfall is responsible for extensive load-shedding in most of the industrial states,
thereby limiting economic growth for the country. The power sector is consistently under
increasing pressures to augment power generation capacity through government and private
participation. However, capacity addition through conventional fossil fuels has constrains and
the most appropriate and immediate solution for this power crisis lies in the increased use of
renewable power. The NAPCC has set a target of 15% share of electricity from renewable
energy sources into the grid by 2020. Going beyond 2020, the RE share (%) in the grid has to
increase considerably, given the global uncertainty of coal availability and volatile prices.
Hence there is an urgent need to harness maximum possible energy from RE sources. At
present, grid-connected renewable power (26.7 GW) shares more than 12.5% of Indias overall
power generation capacity (~211 GW) and about 6% of electricity generation. Of the total RE
power installed capacity in India, wind contributes about 70% (18.4 GW).
C-WET has revised Indias wind potential figure to 102 GW at 80 m hub height from its earlier
estimated figure of 49 GW at 50 m hub height, assuming 2% potential land availability. Other
research organizations and agencies have estimated different wind potential figures ranging
from 1000 GW to 4000 GW for India, depending on various assumptions pertaining to hub
height, land availability and using modeled wind resource data and GIS techniques. MNRE has
now initiated an exercise for realistic assessment of the countrys wind power potential, and
the results are expected by the end of 2013. Thus the governments estimated wind potential
figure (102 GW) may probably rise further.
The Indian wind power market is 25 years old now. We need to take a big leap for large scale
capacity addition from wind power. Despite huge wind potential available in the country, India
could achieve only 18% of the revised estimated potential by C-WET during the last two and
half decades. Even today, in most of the states, barriers to large scale wind power
development remain unresolved which include issues related to land availability, its
acquisition ownership and right of way (RoW), conversion of land status from agricultural to
non-agricultural land, inadequate grid infrastructure, construction of approach roads to
remote locations, permits and clearances required from various agencies, relatively low feedin tariffs, project financing, etc. The approved outlay for the 12th Five Year Plan for the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energys programmes is INR 33,003 crore, wherein total gridconnected renewable energy capacity addition envisaged is 30 GW, out of which, 15 GW
would have to come from wind power. For achieving this ambitious target, the Planning
Commission, Government of India, has envisaged the need for a National Wind Mission during
the 12th Five Year Plan period, which is likely to be established soon. Offshore wind power
development is also likely to get kick started in the current plan period, with the draft policy
awaiting finalization.

The Challenge:

Though technological advances are happening in terms of high capacity

rating turbines, improved turbine designs for low wind regions, designing of wind farms using
various micro-siting software/s, increase in manufacturing capacity of wind turbines, etc.,
large scale wind power capacity addition is not happening as compared to growth in younger
markets such as China. To overcome this major barrier, the deployment of wind energy in
India will have to be accelerated by providing ready-to-install sites with the required

infrastructural facilities including land, power evacuation, approach roads,

facility for sale of power, facilitation in getting various permissions and clearances, etc., at
places where wind resources are abundant. This could be done by identifying

windy locations in the wind rich states and setting up large size wind parks. The solar park
model set up by the Government of Gujarat could be emulated for creating the wind parks,
which could pave the way for large scale wind power development in the key wind power
states under consideration. This initiative will not only help achieve the targets set under
NAPCC and MNRE within the prescribed time frame, but also address the power deficit issue in
the country and increase the share of green and clean energy. In addition is shall add to
energy security risk minimization and help reduce building pressures on balance of payment
situation of the country, as it will substitute of fossil fuels and indirectly reduce the fossil fuel
imports.

Objectives:
i.
ii.

The key objectives for the study are as follows.

The overall objective will be to facilitate wind power development in key windy states
(Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan) by identifying high wind power zones through
GIS based resource analysis.
To prioritize identified high wind power density zones for large scale development.

iii.

To understand constraints in development of wind power parks and find out solutions
to solve them.

iv.

To develop suitable mechanism/s and guidelines for land allotment and clearances
required for setting up a wind project in the proposed wind parks.

v.

To identify necessary interventions needed in existing policy and regulation and

creation of infrastructure and facilities for setting up wind parks in the identified
windy states.

vi.

To explore the possibility of bringing the wind power sector under competitive bidding
mechanism- CASE 2 scenario.

Outputs and Outcomes: The key output will be the establishment of wind parks and
facilitating framework and hand-holding of the implementation agencies in the states of
Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan for setting up procedures and formulation of policy and
regulatory framework. The proposed study will help to identify locations for setting up wind
parks and will also help establish methodologies and systems for development of wind parks
in these three states. The study will act as a guide for the state as well as the central
government for power evacuation planning and revision of policy and regulatory framework
required for setting up wind parks. State power utilities will get RE power by making PPAs with
the investors and can fulfill their RPO obligations and avoid penalties. As all the infrastructural
facilities are provided at one place, investors can avail project finance from lending
institutions without any hurdles due to mitigation of risks. Increase in investment in the sector
will obviously open new avenues of employment in the sector. The possibility of bringing case2 bidding for wind power will be examined. A new business model can emerge through this
competitive bidding process. Due to accelerated development in the wind sector, the targets
set under NAPCC and 12th Five year plan can be achieved in the stipulated time frame. The
Wind park project will also lead to improved road and drainage infrastructure and energy
access in remote areas.

The Proposal:

Wind power parks can be set up on pre-identified wind potential rich

locations, by offering government owned land on lease basis and facilitating acquisition/lease

of private land. In the identified windy zones common infrastructure facilities

can be created by the state government, besides getting all necessary clearances at one go.
State governments may divide the entire wind park area into smaller plots and invite
investors / developers to hire land on lease basis and install wind turbines. Further, the
concerned state governments facilitate PPA with local power Distribution Company which
reduces risk for sale of power. The investor need not waste his time and efforts for land
acquisition, construction of approach roads to the site, arrangements for power evacuation,
sale of power, etc., and the project can be executed within a short period. For land allotment,
suitable mechanism and guidelines can be developed in line with that of solar mission/solar
park in Gujarat. The necessary policy and regulatory revisions can be made at the national as
well as state level, depending on the local conditions in each state.
WISE would like to facilitate setting of wind power parks for the respective states by
conducting a study for identifying windy zones (as per the norms for setting up of wind farms)
in the three states. The study would comprise GIS based wind resource assessment with
modeled data and its validation through available measured data, land categorization
(wasteland, crop land, forest etc.) using land use and land cover data and its availability for
wind projects, study of existing roads, rivers, bridges, possible approach roads to be
constructed, study of existing substations of state electricity board and probable locations
where new substations can be built, etc. Considering the huge area of each state and uneven
distribution of wind resources throughout the states, a GIS-based study would be most
appropriate for this exercise. WISE has recently conducted a GIS-based study for identifying
RE potential for Tamil Nadu and possesses in-house expertise for such a comprehensive
exercise. The study will be carried out under the overall guidance of the Ministry of New and
Renewable Energy (MNRE) and with the close involvement and support of the state
implementing agencies like MEDA, GEDA and RRECL. The total estimated time for
implementing the project is 18 months (for all the three states in parallel). The proposed
study may be broadly divided into two phases. Phase I will include identification of wind park
zones in the three states and identifying exact locations for minimum 8-10 locations for
setting up of wind parks broadly aiming at implementation of first three objectives as
mentioned above. The second phase will be the consultation with the stakeholders,
dissemination and report preparation broadly aiming at implementation of last three
objectives mentioned above. The proposed phase-wise scope of work for WISE will be as
shown in the annexure.

Key Assumptions:

As Government of India is aiming at large scale capacity addition

from renewables, the proposed project activity will be a step forward in helping the national
aims and objectives and hence stands more chances to have governments full support. If
wind parks are created, more investments will be attracted in the states and shall help
creating more employment and add to the states revenues also. Non-availability of land
ownership data from the states, information on various layers to be mapped on GIS platform,
states unwillingness to develop wind power parks as a policy matter may be the key factors
which can impact the successful project implementation in either of the states.

Decision-makers and venues:

The key decision making venues for this kind of

assignment will be the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Environment and
Forest, Ministry of Power, Central Electricity Authority, Central Electricity Regulatory
Commission at the Centre level. The concerned secretaries and joint secretaries of the central
ministries and heads of the other institutions will be the key decision makers in this regards.
At the state level, the energy and power departments of the respective states, state nodal
agencies implementing wind power such as MEDA, GEDA, and RRECL will be the decision
making venues. The states energy or power secretaries and heads of state nodal agencies
shall for the part of key decision makers at the state level. Besides from industry perspective

involvement of Industry associations like Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers

Association (IWTMA), Indian Wind Energy Association (InWEA) and Wind IPPs Association
would be helpful in terms of successful implementation of the wind park concept.

Why WISE for this assignment:

WISE has been proactively engaged in policy,

regulatory and development activities for the renewable energy sector in general and for the
wind power sector in particular at national level for more than 8 years. WISEs Centre for Wind
Power has carried out many policy and regulatory assignments including those on repowering
and introduction of generation linked incentives for RE projects for organizations like the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and RE tariff determination for various state
electricity commissions (Orrisa, Gujarat). The Centre for Wind Power is involved in preparing
state-level RE resource assessment and creation of state action plans for RE deployment, has
organized successfully four international conferences and exhibitions on wind power sector in
India ( 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012) and possesses licensed software/s used in wind power
industry. The Centre has all the necessary skills and infrastructure to implement such projects
in India. For more than four years, WISE has been actively involved in promoting the concept
of offshore wind power in India through its various events, reports and publications, and
interactions with government officials at the centre and state levels. WISE has already carried
out a study (2012) titled Action plan for comprehensive renewable energy development in
Tamil Nadu. A GIS web portal has been created for information dissemination about RE
potential In Tamil Nadu.
The key staff which will be involved in the project will be as Mr. G M Pillai, Director General,
Rajendra Kharul, Jt. Director and Head (Wind Power), Suhas Tendulkar, DGM (Business
development), Mr. Surendra Pimparkhedkar, Fellow and Head, Centre for Renewable
Regulations and Policy, Mr. Sanjeev Ghotge, Jt. Director, and Head, Centre for Climate and
Sustainability Policy, and Dr. Sudhir Kumar, Jt. Director and Head ( Solar Power). Besides few
technical staff members at Sr Research Associate and Research Associate will be involved in
the implementation.
Duration and Budgets: Total 18 months for the entire project activity. PHASE-I: 08 months,
PHASE-II 10 months. The expected budget for the assignment would be INR 210 lakhs
(service tax if applicable) for entire study. For Phase I, INR 110 lakhs (+ Service tax) and for
Phase-II Rs. 100 Lakh ( + service tax).
Total funding requested -100% of the proposed budget.
.
****

Annexure
Detailed scope of work for the project proposal on
Development of Wind Power Parks in Maharashtra, Gujarat,
and Rajasthan
Phase-I: Identification of Wind Park Zones - Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan
(applicable for each state).
This includes:
GIS based wind resource analysis for each state including procurement
/sourcing of wind data and other GIS layers such as land use and land cover,
cadastral maps (if possible), etc.
Identification of high wind power density zones and probable wind power
park zones.
Collection/procurement of required datasets and information for constraint
analysis
Constraint analysis for proposed wind park developments.
Geo-technical and social constraints, reserve areas etc.
Identification of related studies for further research.
Validation of constraints through site visits to identified areas

 Broad scale Identification of infrastructure development

required for each of the proposed site, including power evacuation capacity,
augmentation of grid, roads, bridges etc.
Prioritization of wind park zones in consultation with the state.
Understand states willingness to develop
infrastructure and facilities, and framework.

wind

parks

with

required

Phase-II: Developing wind power park framework for the windy states of Gujarat,
Maharashtra and
Rajasthan
This will include;
To develop suitable mechanism/s and guidelines for land allotment and
clearances required for setting up a wind project in the proposed wind parks.
To study national and international mechanisms, initiatives for large scale
wind or renewable power park development and to understand the best
practices for implementation.
Documentation of land allotment mechanism and methodologies followed,
clearances required for setting up of wind farms in the states.
To review the requirements of additional clearances, approvals required, if
any for large scale development of wind power parks.
To explore the possibility of setting up wind power Investment Special
Economic Zones (SEZs) in the states.
Identification of policy and regulatory challenges for wind park development
in each state.
Preparation of draft land allotment policy and mechanisms for
development of wind parks.
Land availability, allocation and acquisition method/s, leasing methods.
Policy and regulatory challenges and solutions for wind project
development activity.
Development of leasing models for land lease to project developers.
Mechanism for getting permits and clearances for entire wind park.
Mechanism for participation of private land owners.

Exploring possibilities for CASE-2 bidding under Competitive Bidding

mechanism.

To understand requirements for CASE-2 bidding for wind power projects

Explore and understand state mechanism and willingness to go for
competitive bidding route for wind park

Exploring possibilities of hybrid wind and solar power project development on

each of the proposed wind park area, so as to optimize land and power
evacuation infrastructure utilization.
Identification of benefits for wind parks in states.
To have consultations on proposed frameworks with all the stakeholders
within and outside the states
Preparation of state wise reports and submission to the states and MNRE

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