Industry Odisha bureau, Jul 7: The globally larger climate pattern ‘El Nino’ is not only going to adversely affect and severely disrupt India’s annual south-west monsoon this year as has reportedly been predicted by the India Meteorogical Department (IMD) and several other meteorologists and oceanic scientists, but also going to erode the wind speed during India’s wind power generation season.
Experts have reportedly apprehended that, “When El Nino-impacted below-normal- monsoon-induced low rainfall is going to take a toll on the hydropower output, Lower wind speeds during the peak June–September season are expected to weigh on wind power generation since the wind power generation in India accounts for 56.8 GW (Giga Watts).”
As per media reports, “While Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Gujarat are among the key wind-power-generating Indian states, it has been predicted by weather scientists that the two states are likely to experience not only deficient rainfall, but also less amount of wind.”
Oceanographers and climate experts have also reportedly stated that, “This year’s El Nino is significantly altering the global wind patterns, and this global phenomenon that weakens the atmospheric circulation could lead to reduced wind speeds across several regions, including parts of Asia, Australia and South America.”
Citing instances from yesteryears, the experts have also reportedly explained that, “The strong El Nino years of 1997–98 and 2015–16 have already evidently witnessed measurable reductions in wind power density across most Indian wind corridors. The arrival of this year’s strong El Nino, that is now developing and is expected to intensify during August and October as has already been predicted, is undoubtedly going to weaken the wind speed and affect the wind power generation when India’s power grid demand peaks.”
Experts have also reportedly contended that, “El Nino years have historically coincided with weaker monsoon winds, and since June–September is the peak generation season for Indian wind assets, the output can moderate during these phases.”
