MPs ask Centre to explore wind energy potential in the country

The multi-party Parliamentarians meet viewed that India has a huge potential of wind energy

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Cutting across party lines, a network of parliamentarians working to promote renewable energy has asked the central government to take immediate measures for the development of wind energy in the country.

The multi-party Parliamentarians meet, organised recently by Climate Parliament, viewed that India has a huge potential of wind energy and MNRE should step up its effort to provide an enabling framework for the wind energy investors.

It has asked the government for immediate implementation of Generation Based Incentive (GBI) and reintroduction of Accelerated Depreciation (AD).

The Climate Parliament group MPs key recommendations and suggestions to the Government include re-assessment and validation of wind potential at the national level, adequate planning for transmission infrastructure including inter-state transmission and specific policy on repowering wind sites.

It has also suggested the government to chalk out a long-term policy vision and implementation mission, alignment of national renewable energy deployment targets as per National Action Plan on Climate Change recommendations, enforcement of Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) targets and finalisation of a strong off-shore wind energy policy.

Addressing the conference held in Bangalore, Minister of State for Finance, J D Seelam, promised that his Ministry would extend its support in promoting Wind Energy.

The MPs Jhansi Lakshmi Botcha, Govardhan Reddy, Ratna Bai, Dhruvnarayan Rangaswamy (Congress), Gundu Sudharani (Telugu Desam), Vasanthi Stanley, K P Ramalingam (DMK), Mansukh Mandaviya (BJP), Vandana Chavan (NCP) and Anup Kumar Saha (CPI (M) attended the meeting, a Climate Parliament official said.

The meeting assessed that wind energy sector has been undergoing some critical issues after key financial incentives were withdrawn from the sector.

The investments in the year 2012-13 were almost half of the investments in 2011-12, they said.