The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has invited proposals for its draft tender on leasing out seabed areas for a 4 gigawatt (GW) equivalent offshore wind capacity project off the coast of Tamil Nadu
The government proposes to lease out the sea bed, which includes specifically identified offshore wind sub-blocks B1, B2, B3, B4 and G1 off the coast of Tamil Nadu in the Gulf of Mannar, in the current financial year.
Interested parties and stakeholders can submit their responses on the proposal by November 28.
Wind power developers
“Selection of offshore wind power developers (OWPD) for leasing of sea-bed areas equivalent to 4,000 megawatt (MW) of offshore wind power projects off the coast of Tamil Nadu through International Competitive Bidding,” the request for selection (RfS) document floated by the Ministry said.
The grid connectivity and Long-Term Open Access/access to grid under the general network access (GNA) framework) to grid shall be in the scope of the OWPD. The energy generated from offshore wind power projects is to be consumed in captive mode or sold to third parties under open access framework or sold through merchant sale/ power exchange, it added.
The OWPD will have the exclusive rights over the allocated sea block to carry out required study surveys and subsequent project development. Each block will be assigned with a tentative minimum installable offshore wind power capacity.
However, the actual MW capacity to be installed by the OWPD in the Block shall be determined pursuant to the finalisation of the detailed project report in accordance with the Survey Lease Deed, it added.
Green energy
The objective of the exercise is to introduce offshore wind energy as one of the green energy generation sources to contribute towards the ‘Net Zero by 2070’ target of the country. Besides, the government also aims to develop offshore wind energy projects, related ports and logistics infrastructure and offshore wind expertise.
Such proposals when fructified will help to create the required international collaborations for development and implementation of high quality and highly reliable offshore wind power projects and its operational capabilities, the draft proposal said.
The bidders can avail fiscal incentives such as Accelerated Depreciation, Concessional Customs and Excise Duties, Tax Holidays, etc as may be available for onshore wind projects in India.
Further, benefits such as provision of power evacuation infrastructure from the offshore pooling delivery point, waiver of transmission charges, Renewable Energy Credits with Multipliers, Carbon Credit benefits, as determined by the Centre or state from time to time shall also be applicable.
Through the draft proposal, the government aims to develop offshore wind energy projects, related ports and logistics infrastructure and offshore wind expertise. To develop required international collaborations for development and implementation of high quality and highly reliable offshore wind power projects, and its operational capabilities.
Studies
Preliminary studies carried out by National Institute of Wind Energy (NIEW) across the coastline of India indicate good potential both off the Southern tip of the country and the West coast for offshore wind farm development in India with a cumulative capacity of 70 GW based on the meso-scale data available in the public domain.