The National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) is setting up five more LiDAR to generate wind data so as to supplement Governments plan of setting up 10 GW of offshore wind power capacity by 2022.
LiDARs are equipment that measure wind speeds and direction at different heights by sending up a laser beam and tracking the motion of air particles by capturing the light reflected back by the particles.
Wind speed data (for at least a year) is an absolute necessity for energy companies; the data will help them decide on aspects like location and tariffs, when the government comes up with capacity auctions.
Each LiDAR costs about ₹10 crore; the expenditure will be met out of the funds given by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
NIWE already has one LiDAR in the Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat, which has produced wind speed data for over a year and now SECI is expected to auction 1,000 MW of wind capacity in the gulf any time now.
India’s aggressive push towards offshore wind energy comes on the back of falling offshore wind energy prices globally. At a recent power purchase agreement of 800 MW Vineyard Wind project in the US, the tariff is 6.5 cents or ₹4.6 a kW/hr, previously a developer would not have been able to sell his power for less than ₹12 a kW/hr.
And the prices are set to fall further.
Reference- The Hindu