Industry Odisha Bureau, Jul 28: Odisha’s offshore wind energy potential is not much encouraging for which no such offshore wind project sanctioned in the state. This was indicated by Union Minister for State for New and Renewable Energy & Power, Shripad Yesso Naik in Rajya Sabha today.
A preliminary assessment carried out along the Odisha coast indicates average off shore wind speed of ~ 6.0–7.0 m/s at 150 m hub height which is expected to result Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) of 32–35 percent, he said while replying to a question of BJD MP Subhasish Khuntia.
Further, water depths off the Odisha coast increase from about 50 meters to nearly 1000 meters within a distance of 20-30 km from the shoreline, owing to the steep seabed gradient.
However, in the northern part of the Odisha coast, the water depth of about 50 m extends up to nearly 100 km from the coastline. The high water depths and low CUF make offshore wind development less viable in the State. Accordingly, no such offshore wind projects identified or sanctioned in Odisha, he said.
Government of India has launched the ‘Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for offshore wind energy projects’ with total outlay of Rs 7453 crore for installation and commissioning of 1 GW of offshore wind energy projects and grant for upgradation of two ports to meet logistics requirements for offshore wind energy projects.
Transmission Planning for initial 5 GW projects, each off Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coasts, has been issued by Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
In view of the above, the Union Government has not taken measures due to very low offshore wind potential off Odisha coast. The Ministry is focusing on development of offshore wind projects off Gujarat and Tamil Nadu coast considering the high offshore wind potential.
