Why wind energy?

13 November 2001

The higher the availability of power, the better equipped a country is to have more industries, greater the potential for employment generation, and greater the income of its people," says Pradeep Kumar, vice-president, planning, Bajaj Electricals.

India's projected energy demand by 2012 is estimated to be in the region of 2,40,000 MW. As against this, the current installed capacity is just under 1,00,000, including all forms of energy generation, be it thermal, hydel, nuclear, and others. Which means that in the next eleven years, we need to add another 1,40,000 MW, or at the rate of about 12,000 MW, annually. We have been able to add not more than 3000 MW per year, in the last 50 odd years. Hence it is all the more important that every source of energy be fully exploited.

Fossil fuel prices have been steadily going up the past few decades, and if the trend is any indication, the day may not be far when the cost of wind energy, unit for unit, will become cheaper than fossil fuel based energy, notwithstanding the low plant load factor of wind turbines.

Moreover, known reserves of fossil fuel, be it oil or coal, are limited.

"Although fossil fuel reserves are estimated to last another 60 years, a US based study based on the known and expected reserves, and the current and expected rate of consumption, has calculated that these reserves can only last another 30 years," warns A S Karanth, CEO, BF Utilities, the special purpose vehicle of the Kalyani group set up for wind energy.

Considering the low quality of coal that India has, it makes sound economic sense to explore and exploit other energy resources. "Except for some coal found in the Assam belt, Indian coal is low grade coal, with 50 to 55 per cent ash, and therefore, of low calorific value. A higher ash content also means greater atmospheric pollution, and the need for expensive gadgets such as electrostatic and fabric filters, so the cost of generation goes up," argues Pradeep Kumar.