National Offshore Wind Energy Policy: A step towards better and healthy Energy generation – While it’s a well-known fact that the Global warming issue has impacted this whole planet in a negative manner since the last few decades, various governments across the worlds are doing their bits in order to curb the same. Going into the same direction, on 9th September 2015, the Cabinet gave a green signal to the pronouncement of the National Offshore Wind Energy Policy, 2015 with the objective to promote and push the expansion of offshore wind energy. It must be noted that The Policy was put forward for review by general public earlier, with the permission of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy on October 1, 2015, and has come into force from the date of notification.
The policy aims towards saving the climate by switching over to renewable energy resources. Moreover, India has already achieved the goal of generating more than 22 GW of onshore wind energy with its efficiency efforts. While ‘Renewable energy resources’ are crucial elements of the Government’s National Action Plan on Climate Change(NAPCC) announced in the year 2008,they are working big time on its implementation over the years as Coal and other non-renewable energy resources have destructive effects on the environment as well as the health of people on this planet.
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Objective
The main objective of Indian Government while implementing this policy here was to promote Offshore Wind Farms for generating a renewable source of energy that will enable the best exploitation of areas or zones which are appropriate for offshore wind energy farms and towards fighting with that Global warming issue. The Government also looks forward to exploring and promote setting up of Offshore Wind Farms in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the country, including the (PPP) Public-Private Partnership in perfect coastal regions. The Objective was also to push huge financial investment in the field of Energy Infrastructure which will guide the use of offshore wind farms to exploit the wind. Along with this, the following points have been kept in mind while bringing the policy to the table:
-Attracting Private and foreign investors to invest in the building of Wind farms by introducing Incentive based Investment Proposal and promoting the utilization of marine renewable resources.
-Achievement of energy security for the country’s Electricity consumption needs.
-Lowering down carbon emissions by switching over to offshore wind energy farms for exploiting the wind to generate electricity on a big scale and bringing better to nature.
– Promoting Future research and development in the Energy Sector by providing Financial and material aids and assistance to organizations.
-Upskilling manpower and generating more employment in the wind energy sector.
-Aiding the progress of Project EPC ( Engineering, Procurement, and Construction ) and Operation & Maintenance in the offshore wind industry.
Benefits
While we know that the speed of the wind on Offshore is greater than that on the land, just a slight increase in wind speed would result in large increases in energy production. More energy can be generated with faster offshore wind speeds. Via this policy, India as a country would be able to utilize the offshore winds in the best interest of the nation’s energy needs.
Moreover, many coastal areas have very high electricity needs and with this policy getting implemented, offshore winds would support the Electricity generation and ultimately serving to the electricity needs around the coastal regions. While India has a large coastline, constructing offshore wind farms in these areas can aid generation of electricity around and hence helping the population big time with their Energy needs.
This will create more employment for the people living in the coastal areas and also these wind farms do not emit environmental pollutants or greenhouse gases. The workers will not get any negative impact on their health by any dangerous disease unlike to the workers working in coal setups and petroleum refineries who fell prey to harmful gases in the process. Also, Promotion of the offshore wind energy farms will support the country with a Long-term source of electricity.
Challenges
While there are loads of advantages of bringing the offshore wind farms in use, the same also carries a number of challenges as well while implementation of the policy:
-Heavy winds, particularly heavy storms or hurricanes, can damage the wind turbines big time and put a negative impact on the whole project in no time.
-impact of offshore wind farms on sea animals as well as birds are yet to be analyzed. Research is still on regarding the same and nothing much can be quoted till we get the clear picture.
-Building offshore wind farms near the coastline might put unrest among the local residents and may impact the tourism in the area along with the Property evaluation. The same needs to be analyzed too.
-Most of the times, the Deepsea wind farms come with the challenges of conveying prohibited areas for commercial shipping. New lanes got to be devised to support proper lightning for ships to pass on. There is no Provision in the policy about the same and neither there’s a notification regarding the same from the Nodal ministry or the agency.
National Offshore Wind Energy Policy PDF
Conclusion
Though the Policy carries its own advantages and challenges along, this will certainly put India in a better position to motivate and set an example for other developing nations to push towards utilizing renewable resources instead of nonrenewable resources to reach achieve their Developmental goals. While the whole world is fighting to save this planet from the hands of Global warming, The Policy also will have the positive impact on the climate and the environment by promoting offshore wind energy farms. Though it is just the initial stage of it, the same should be expected to bring fruitful and positive results in the near future. This policy will certainly put India on a better stage to tell the world that it’s not all about development, it’s about ‘’sustainable development’’ by using the renewable sources of energy in the bigger interest of the world.
References
[1]http://mnre.gov.in/file-manager/UserFiles/National- Offshore-Wind- Energy-Policy- Gazzette-notification.pdf
[2]http://mnre.gov.in/file-manager/UserFiles/National- Offshore-Wind- Energy-Policy- Gazzette-
notification.pdf
[3] http://www.governorswindenergycoalition.org/?p=15046
[4] http://www.gktoday.in/blog/national-offshore- wind-power- policy-2015/