By Abhinand Basant, Deputy Managing Director, Kshema Power
India finds itself at a significant juncture where it can achieve unparalleled economic growth while also facing the need to efficiently address climate change and ensure energy security for its rapidly expanding population. The country has set enhanced goals on its path to sustainability: reaching net-zero emissions by 2070 and 50 per cent of electricity generated from non-fossil fuels by 2030. With India’s remarkable growth targeting wind power, the achievement of 50 GW installed capacity by March 2025 certainly contributes to the renewable energy portfolio. India now ranks fourth globally in total renewable energy capacity, fourth in wind, and fifth in solar, showcasing its growing leadership in the global clean energy transition. Nevertheless, with a wind energy potential of 700 GW at 120 meters hub heights and around 1.2 TW at 150 meters hub heights, increased investment in clean energy infrastructure, along with supportive policy reforms, will steer India closer to its global sustainability objectives.
Harnessing even a fraction of this potential can significantly reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and stabilise long-term energy costs. This approach will foster both sustainable economic growth and improved living standards.
India’s energy scenario: Necessity to transition to renewable resources
The demand for energy, when it comes to India, is said to increase greatly in the expanding economy, urbanisation, and multi-city development. While economic growth brings many benefits, it also poses challenges such as environmental degradation and increased pollution. Fossil fuels remain the primary source of energy to date, but India’s energy sector is undergoing a transition phase due to emissions of carbon, air pollution, and dependency on imports. The country is committed to shifting towards a decarbonisation strategy to reduce environmental damage and ensure economic security. Currently, wind energy sustains life in fossil fuels and advances silicon-based renewable technologies.
The chronicle of wind energy in India: Evolution of sails to turbines
The process of formally generating wind energy in India started a few decades ago, and the country has developed a remarkable operational capacity since then. As of November 2024, the operational capacity of the country is recorded at 47.72 GW. Most of this capacity is situated in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, along with the western coastal states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Rajasthan, all of which feature abundant coastal and inland wind corridors. Government support has been key to this rapid growth. Moreover, the wind energy sector has become a significant source of employment, generating over 75,000 jobs, predominantly in operations, maintenance, construction, and installation.
Yet, the installed capacity still barely taps into the wind potential India has to offer. The International Energy Agency (IEA) points out that onshore wind is one of the older technologies that has an extensive supply chain and has been developed for maximising the electricity generated per megawatt, unlocking more areas like sites with lower wind speeds. India’s diverse geography and improving grid infrastructure provide significant opportunities to expand wind power beyond traditional hotspots. In addition, the IEA states that offshore wind is expected to increase at a rapid pace because of stronger and more consistent winds at sea. India holds a coastal territory of 7,516.6 km, which offers a tremendous offshore wind resource and, if properly harnessed, could significantly increase the amount of clean energy the nation uses. Recent advances in offshore turbine technology and supportive government policies are paving the way for large-scale deployment. The 140 GW of wind energy capacity planned to be installed by 2030 will further enhance India’s position as a leader in renewable energy. These reasons outline why the government views the opportunity as an essential standpoint of change.
The numerous perks of leveraging wind energy
India’s case for wind energy is robust and self-sustaining, going beyond clean kilowatt hours to deliver broader environmental and economic gains. Wind energy is vital in the fight against climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping India fulfill its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement by displacing fossil fuel-based power generation. Additionally, it is particularly advantageous for a water-scarce nation like India, as wind turbines consume minimal water compared to thermal power plants. Moreover, when wind farms are carefully planned and executed, their thermal impact remains low, making them truly green and sustainable energy sources.
Wind energy is becoming more and more economical, often cheaper than conventional energy sources. This is due to technology improvements, sustained government assistance, and economies of scale. By investing in wind power, India strengthens its energy self-reliance and reduces its exposure to the volatility of global fossil fuel markets, which helps in conserving foreign currency reserves. The sector provides substantial employment opportunities in relation to manufacturing, project development, installation, operation and maintenance. Several initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ are promoting greater self-sufficiency in India’s domestic wind turbine industry, as this industry is estimated to have the potential to produce an economic value addition of approximately 15,000 MW annually.
The change to wind energy helps improve air quality across society, especially in areas suffering from emissions due to coal-fired plants and other industrial activity. This reduces respiratory issues and lowers public health costs. Additionally, wind energy is crucial for providing clean and reliable electricity to remote and underserved areas, which helps promote social equity. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, expanding wind capacity can prevent millions of tonnes of carbon emissions annually, reinforcing its role in climate mitigation. Furthermore, wind is a plentiful and renewable resource. While wind speeds may vary, advanced forecasting techniques and grid management systems that combine wind with solar power and energy storage solutions guarantee a steady power supply.
The need for a renewed national drive: Overcoming challenges
Given its evident benefits and past milestones, India’s wind energy sector now faces several pressing challenges that call for a refreshed national strategy and focused action. The pace of capacity addition is slowing due to persistent supply chain disruptions, limited access to financing, and delays in permitting processes. Additionally, grid limitations and inadequate transmission infrastructure, especially in wind-rich regions, pose significant barriers to efficient power evacuation and system integration. Land acquisition remains a persistent hurdle for both new developments and the repowering of older projects, often complicated by right-of-way issues and unauthorised development in strategic wind corridors.
A big proportion of India’s early wind energy capacity is ‘repowering’ ready because it was installed with outdated and inefficient turbines. Repowering simply means ‘upgrading’ existing assets by replacing old turbines with newer, taller, and more powerful ones, yielding a minimum 1.5 times increase in potential energy output. This approach not only boosts energy generation but also optimises land use by utilising existing wind farm sites. The Indian government acknowledges this potential and updated the National Repowering Policy for Wind Power Projects in December 2023 to allow for turbine repowering or refurbishment after 15 years of servicing. It is important to consider, however, that repowering is a capital-heavy operation. Complications stem from a high cost in dismantling and disposing of obsolete parts, upgrading electrical networks, constructing along the access roads, and having to get consent from all turbine owners in aggregated projects. While federal support policy offers an inadequate rebate, significant funding from regional authorities is far more effective in achieving the economic repowering target needed to attract investors with a long loan payback period.
Though India possesses friendly policies such as renewable purchase obligations along with fiscal incentives and exemptions of inter-state transmission system fees, their effective implementation is of utmost importance. A more focused redirection of funding from government and private entities towards wind power manufacturing, infrastructure, and research and development is urgently needed. The IEA’s recommendations, such as easing public engagement, facilitating site approvals, and reducing development delays, are especially important. Additionally, fostering strong domestic supply chains and upgrading technical skills in wind technology is crucial, according to industry insights.
Charting the innovations course forward
Wind energy is continuously evolving due to advancements in technology. Newer turbines have larger capacities, enabling them to extract more energy from the wind at lower speeds due to the increased height and diameter of rotors and hubs. This increases the feasibility of setting up wind energy projects geographically. Harnessing offshore wind resources offers a promising pathway to diversify India’s renewable energy mix and strengthen energy security. India has huge potential to invest in offshore wind energy as it faces stronger and more constant winds over the sea. However, this requires a change in policies and infrastructural development along with tailored frameworks geared towards this portion. The use of modern tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve the performance of the wind sector. AI can be used in numerous ways, including optimising the supply chains, improving accuracy in the estimation of power generation weather conditions, enhancing turbine maintenance prognostics, and general improvements in business operations. More investments in research and development are critical in order to increase innovations and further decrease costs.
The case of wind energy development in India
Wind energy serves as more than an opportunity energy source in India; it is a crucial underpinning for achieving economic growth, energy self-sufficiency, and environmental protection. The progress made so far is commendable, but the road ahead demands a renewed national commitment, stronger policy actions, and active collaboration across all stakeholders. With its vast wind resource potential, India is uniquely positioned to become a global leader in clean energy generation. India could maximise its wind potential if challenges are met through nurturing creativity, strategically investing in infrastructure and technology, repowering policies, and decisive policy implementation. A sustained national push for wind energy will empower India to meet its climate goals, expand clean energy, create green jobs, boost energy independence, and advance environmental sustainability. The country stands to gain healthier living conditions for its future generations. The change is evident, and the country can make full use of the opportunity.
