Unconventional is the new Convention- Wind Turbines to reduce the Carbon footprint

Wind energy has gained tremendous momentum throughout the renewable energy industry around the world. Over the past decade, wind power has come to be acknowledged as a promising source of renewable energy even in our country. It would be interesting to note that as of 31st March 2023, the total installed wind power capacity was 42.633 gigawatts (GW), the 

fourth largest installed wind power capacity in the world!

 

 

Harnessing wind as energy is an idea that is thousands of years old, what we see today is a modernized version of ancient Windmills called Wind turbines and their generators. As it does not involve burning limited fossil fuels and because using wind energy does not decrease the amount of wind, it is considered a renewable energy source. This unconventional source of energy has faced skeptical queries but continues to grow as more and more companies are discovering and realizing the benefits of investing in or lending wind power. Obvious evidence of this increasing acceptance is the growing population of Wind turbines that we cannot fail to observe, installed on most of the hills, as we leave the city limits. Wind power accounts for nearly 10% of India's total installed utility power generation capacity and generated 71.814 TWh in the fiscal year 2022–23, which is nearly 4.43% of total electricity generation.

 

There are more than a few benefits that investing in wind turbines will bring.

 

meaning that it doesn’t emit greenhouse gasses when generating electricity. If we can burn less fossil fuel for energy, replacing it with clean, renewable energy like from wind, we can successfully reduce our carbon footprint. This is one of the big initiatives at Raj Path Infracon.

No ongoing expense is incurred to acquire fuel (wind). Once the wind turbine is installed, the only cost is for quarterly maintenance.

Unlike other energy sources, wind turbines can be built on existing farms. Hence, there is no need to acquire new land or complete an extensive construction process to make room for this energy source.

The installation of the Wind turbine is space efficient. They can be spread across fields with enough space between them to be productive. Owing to their elevation from the ground, the land below can be put to use for other uses like farming.

Wind energy has a relatively low-risk and high return on investment. This is because any units that are generated can be sold to the state electricity board (as per the contract after going Captive) and the same is deducted from your electricity bills!

 

 

The procedure for investment is fairly simple and is more of a fit-and-forget kind of project. However, all the necessary clearances are mandatory even if such projects carry the ‘green tag’. For instance, wind turbines coming up in or near forest areas, need a forest clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests authorities.

 

 

 

Today, there are over 50 developers registered with the state nodal agency "Maharashtra Energy Development Agency" for the development of wind power projects. All the major manufacturers of wind turbines including ReNew Power, Suzlon, Vestas, Gamesa, Regen, and Leitner Shriram have a presence in Maharashtra. A Wind turbine is estimated to have a life of 25 years and the output of power it yields undergoes depreciation as it ages. However, with the high ROI, Wind turbines have proven to deliver far more benefits in due course of time.

 

 

The futuristic vision to upscale wind power generation in the country is great. Unfortunately, the regulatory compliances for such projects are yet to firm up. This can turn into a worrisome situation with forced land acquisition to forest destruction, as well as linear fragmentation, destruction of water bodies, and impacts on wildlife. All this is happening primarily because the wind power sector has very little regulatory oversight. The policymakers will have to incorporate sound environmental management practices in the wind power development plan with the help of tools like Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that can be used to make wind power development much more ecologically sound.

 

 

 

A cleaner future will involve a mix of energy sources, including those that are renewable like wind power. As the world decarbonizes electricity generation in the future, wind is a clean, renewable, and low-cost option. Raj Path Infracon operates one such Wind Turbine at Dhule in Maharashtra. The benefits are rewarding especially when high electrical power is consumed at our projects with types of equipment like Crushers. This is one of the initiatives to work towards the goal of reducing our Carbon footprint and fulfilling our commitment to environmental sustainability.

 

Trupti Nayak
COO, Raj Path Infracon Pvt. Ltd.