The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy recently initiated a scheme for carrying out wind resource assessment in new areas across the country through installation of up to 500 wind monitoring stations with 100 m tall met towers.

The objectives of the scheme are to collect site specific wind data for a period of approximately 24-36 months, analyze the collected wind data and estimate wind power potential at 100 m level, prepare a wind resource map showing the wind power potential and generate micro level wind atlas at 100 m height, and enable rapid exploitation of the wind power potential by developing wind power projects.

The MNRE has been carrying out a wind resource assessment program in the country through the Chennai-based Centre for Wind Energy Technology in association with state nodal agencies. The new scheme too will be implemented through C-WET.

Private developers interested in the scheme are required to submit their detailed proposals to the respective SNA. Indian entities eligible for selection under the scheme include wind farm owners, independent power producers, wind farm developers and wind turbine manufacturers. Each private developer/ SNA will be allowed to install a maximum of 10 wind monitoring stations per state.

Under the scheme, 40 percent of the total project cost will be provided from the National Clean Energy Fund as reimbursement through C-WET and the balance 60 percent has to be borne by the concerned SNA and private developer undertaking the wind resource assessment.

The SNAs along with private developers have to invest the entire project cost initially and carry out all necessary works for establishing the wind monitoring stations. C-WET will release the amount due in two installments. The first installment reimbursing 50 percent of the NCEF grant share will be released by C-WET after installation and commissioning of the wind monitoring station. Following completion of minimum one year continuous data collection and completion of the project in all aspects including completion of verification by C-WET, the balance of the NCEF contribution will be released.

As per guidelines laid down for site selection under the scheme, areas with good wind resource potential and where no previous WRA has taken place need to be chosen. Sites of wind monitoring stations for data measurement already established by C-WET/MNRE at 20/25/30 m height may be considered for WRA at higher hub height of 100 m. Sites already measured by

C-WET/MNRE for data measurement at 50/80/100/120 m height and private wind monitoring stations registered with C-WET are excluded for WRA under NCEF.

The private developers and SNAs have to regularly transfer the data to C-WET server either by way of GPRS or Internet or multimedia card. Monitoring of establishment of wind monitoring stations and collection of data from private developers across the country will be carried out on a monthly basis by C-WET with information on the progress of each wind monitoring station including data collection conveyed to the MNRE. The overall progress of the wind resource assessment will be monitored by the MNRE on a quarterly basis.

Based on data collected from all the wind monitoring stations, C-WET will prepare a micro scale wind atlas at 100 m level, identify wind farmable locations and estimate installable capacity and wind power technical potential at 100 m level.

Private developers and SNAs involved in establishing wind monitoring stations will be entitled to hold on to the ownership of the wind data of the site for a period of three years from the date of completion and verification of the study for development of wind power projects. Failure to develop wind power projects by private developers using the wind data within three years from the date of completion of study will result in reversion of the data ownership of the site to the government. Thereafter, the data will be published in the Wind Atlas including Wind Energy Resource Survey Book of India.


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