The state of Gujarat, India, has experienced 545% growth in wind power generation capacity from mere 338 MW in 2006 to 2175.5 MW in 2011.
The state currently produces nearly 15.36% of the total wind power generation capability of India. India as a country has witnessed around 165% growth in wind power generation from 5341 MW to 14,158 MW in the six year period from 2006 to 2011.
Gujarat is favorably placed in wind velocity. It receives wind in the range of 6 to 7 m per second, an ideal wind condition for power generation. The wind blowing from Kutch, a desert location and Arabian Sea are said to be the favorable points for the improvement of the wind sector.
According to Anil Kane, World Wind Energy Association’s (WWEA), president, though the investment for 1 MW wind energy installation costs as much as Rs.6 crores, the accrued environmental benefits compensates and he added that the technological innovations presently taking place in the wind energy sector will assist in improving the wind power production in the country.
Presently, wind power generation represents nearly 70% of total renewable energy power production in India. The states such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan due to their geographical location advantages are leading the segment.
A study performed by the Center for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET), a Chennai, India-based organization has established that India has the potential to generate around 48,561 MW of wind power and Gujarat state has the potential to generate 10,645 MW and, out of which it currently generates 2175.6 MW power.
Source: http://www.cwet.tn.nic.in/