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Mr Tulsi Tanti, Chairman and Managing Director of Suzlon Energy, replies to queries posed by N Ramakrishnan .
How have the economic problems in Europe affected the renewable energy sector, especially wind energy?
Looking at the current situation, the effect of the economic problems on the wind sector is limited to only certain geographies. The wind energy industry continues to grow rapidly in emerging economies and a few strong, developed economies like Germany, France, the UK, Netherlands and Canada.
A few European nations are slowly withdrawing some of the incentives for renewable energy. Isn't that a retrograde step? What is the industry doing about it?
The wind energy industry needs a level-playing field, not state handouts. If the European nations can deliver that, then the industry will not depend on incentives. In countries like Brazil, wind is already at par with coal and gas – a clear indication of the potential of wind and the future of renewables.
Will the problems in the West be a setback for technological developments in renewable energy?
No. The epicentre on the wind industry has shifted to the emerging economies and they are leading its growth, including technology developments. However, the developed world is not far behind. Europe has always been the leader in wind energy, and now has a strong lead in the development of offshore wind technology.
Will the focus now shift to China, India and other emerging markets for renewable energy?
The Indian market shows strong growth, with the market size expected to reach 4 GW annually by 2015. The World Institute for Sustainable Energy, India (WISE) projects that with larger turbines, greater land availability and expanded resource exploration, the wind potential in India could be as high as 100 GW. Looking at offshore, the market continues to be led by developed economies with the UK, Germany, France and Belgium leading the way.
What is the industry doing to improve reliability and efficiency of green energy technologies?
Economies everywhere are investing in renewable technology. Today's wind industry for example is radically different from that in the early eighties. Wind turbines are now typically 100 times more powerful than earlier versions and employ sophisticated materials, electronics, and aerodynamics. Costs have come down, making wind more competitive than other power generation options.
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