Annual wind installations continue to lag. “Indian domestic wind original equipment manufacturer (OEM) capacity is close to 20 gigawatts. Every year, we are not commissioning more than five to six gigawatts,” says Vinay Pabba, Chief Executive Officer, Vibrant Energy, a Hyderabad-based corporate renewables platform.
Challenges increase as turbines increase
The challenge is no longer the factory line but what happens after the turbine leaves it. Modern wind projects have become complex than those built a decade ago. Every increase in turbine size improves efficiency and generation potential, but also creates new challenges on the ground. It begins right from transporting equipment to project sites. Blades stretching well beyond 100 metres and other heavy components must travel hundreds of kilometres before reaching wind-rich locations, many of which are situated in remote areas. This has transformed project execution into a logistical exercise that often rivals the manufacturing complexity. Installation is another challenge. “This requires specialised heavy-lift cranes and India currently has only around 45 of them,” points out Vinay. Their availability is critical and can influence project schedules just as much as equipment supply. “There are no easy solutions. It’s very hard to do a wind project. Solar is relatively simpler from an execution point of view,” Vinay points out.
Grid Readiness a must
India’s wind sector has benefited from steady improvements in transmission infrastructure over the years, but grid readiness is a concern in several regions. Developers are increasingly paying attention to transmission capacity and evacuation infrastructure and it is particularly evident in discussions around curtailment. “Curtailment is a grid problem as it is not able to absorb all the energy that is generated,” points out Vinay. Now developers additionally need to evaluate transmission constraints, future congestion and evacuation capability alongside wind resource assessments and financial projections.
Repowering also faces the same challenge, On paper, it appears to be a simple exercise of replacing old turbines with larger and more efficient machines. “It’s not about just pulling a turbine and putting a bigger or better one there,” highlights Vinay. Modern turbines require different spacing and layouts. Existing substations and transmission systems designed for older projects often need strengthening before additional power can be evacuated. In many cases, repowering requires redesigning an entire wind farm. This has slowed its progress despite supportive policy measures.
As industries seek more reliable renewable power, wind, solar and storage are increasingly being deployed together to improve reliability that better matches demand patterns. “I want to see renewables being the mainstay for the power sector,” highlights Vinay. The success of the wind industry will ultimately be measured not only by the number of installed turbines but also by the role it plays in helping renewable energy move from the margins of the power sector to its centre.