MNRE issues draft National Repowering Policy for Wind Power Projects

Recently the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released the draft Revised Repowering Policy.

• Under which MNRE has sought opinion on the draft National Repowering Policy, 2022 for wind power projects.
• This policy sets out the conditions for the developers of the projects to repower their old wind turbines.
• Repowering means improving low performing wind power turbines.
• This can make them more efficient. Also, optimum utilization of the wind power potential available in the country can be ensured.
• According to an estimate by the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), the total installed wind power capacity in the country is 66 GW. Of this, wind turbines with a capacity of more than 25 GW need to be repowered.
• Its objective is to make maximum use of wind energy resources. This target will be met by maximizing energy generation per square kilometer of the project area and using the latest onshore wind turbine technologies.

Key findings –

• MNRE will appoint a Wind Energy Repowering Committee for monitoring and consultation.
• The Renewable Energy Development Agency of India will provide an additional interest rate rebate of 0.25% on the interest rate available for new wind projects.
• Wind power presents a promising market. This is because hydroelectric energy faces a number of ecological and funding problems.
• Solar power projects are affected by the rising cost of importing solar power equipment.

Qualification of wind turbine for repowering-

• A set of wind turbines in an area.
• Turbines that have completed their design life.
• All turbines identified under the relevant Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act.
• Wind turbines with a capacity of less than two megawatts

Initiatives for Development of Wind Energy:

• National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy: The main objective of the policy is to provide a framework for promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV hybrid system for optimal and efficient utilization of wind and solar resources, transmission infrastructure and land.
• National Offshore Wind Energy Policy: Government notified the ‘National Offshore Wind Energy Policy’ in 2015 providing the basic framework for developing the offshore wind sector. Post notification of the policy, Government, through National Institute of Wind Energy, has issued ‘Guidelines for Offshore Wind Power Assessment Studies and Surveys’ to enable private investors to carryout offshore wind resource assessment. Further, Government is carrying out offshore wind resource assessments and related studies through National Institute of Wind Energy to validate the offshore wind resource potential in identified locations off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

Source – The Hindu

Download Our App

More Current Affairs

The post MNRE issues draft National Repowering Policy for Wind Power Projects appeared first on Youth destination IAS.