Kerala to tap wind energy

With experts and organisations advocating the tapping of potential renewable sources, Kerala too is looking at the wind energy potential waiting to be harnessed.

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is planning to initiate work on a few select wind energy projects this year itself. The wind energy projects under consideration would be those with a total installed capacity of at least 50 Mw.

Speaking at the inaugural function of the World Institute of Sustainable Energy (WISE)-organised ninth National Training Programme on Renewable Energy in Thiruvananthapuram, state electricity minister A K Balan said Kerala boasts of a potential to generate at least 750 Mw of wind power.

Certain locations like Kanjikode, Attappady and Ramakkalmedu in the northern region of the state had been identified as appropriate locations that could be tapped for the generation of wind energy, he added.

Elaborating on the potential the wind energy projects promise for Kerala, G M Pillai, director-general, WISE, pointed out that renewable energy can contribute significantly to the power needs of Kerala and for demand side management.

"Wind power alone, according to estimated figures, can add 800 Mw. But a reassessment based on new technology and increased land availability will show that at least 1,000 Mw can be added by wind power. Considering Kerala's low installed base of less than 3,000 Mw, this is a huge addition," he said.

According to the WISE director-general, in the next five-year period, Kerala has the potential to add 500 Mw from wind power. Listing comparisons, he said that neighbouring Tamil Nadu has about 3,000 Mw of wind power, against a total installed capacity of 12,000 Mw. This translates into 50 per cent of the total national installed capacity.

However, the Kerala case till date paints a sorry picture. Though a three-member panel had drafted a policy advocating the implementation of wind energy projects more than six years ago, the policy had to be revised a few times.

Pillai urged the state electricity minister to try and sort out the teething problems in the sector so that Kerala can start getting power from wind energy projects before March 2007.