For energy-intensive industries, ‘wind-solar synergy is the way to go’

In a competitive renewable energy promotion environment, the competition for wind is from solar and not incentivisation, Rajesh Lakhoni, Principal Secretary (Energy), Government of Tamil Nadu, said here on Sunday.

Delivering the Special Address at the 4th International Wind Conference and Exhibition at the Codissia Trade Fair Complex, Lakhoni told participants that solar, due to its inherent advantages of being available all round the year (though only for 8 to10 hours a day), involving no distribution cost (as it is available near the load centre), and falling price – is emerging a competitor to wind energy.

Energy-intensive industries should therefore look at a wind-solar hybrid, so that they can hedge the cost over a period.

“The generators should see how a synergy between wind and solar can be brought about as that is the way to go,” the Energy Secretary said, reiterating the State Government’s support for wind energy.

Inter-State competition States are competing with one another and incentivising wind promotion. This would not be a sustainable proposition as absorption and management of wind is crucial, he said, and urged the IWPA to take up the issue with the Centre to stress the need for a uniform policy on windmill erection.

Hailing the State’s position, he said, “Issues are there and we are working with the Centre on a Grid Code Amendment so that wind absorption can be incentivised,” and urged members of IWPA (Indian Wind Power Association) to lobby for inter-State incentivisation.

“Things are not rosy though,” Lakhoni said, highlighting the huge variation in wind and the consequent difficulty in absorption and management. Citing the management and absorbing capacity of wind in Germany and China (which has 4 times more capacity than India), he said, “We have to work out ways of balancing and managing wind. The way forward is to push wind as a national resource. The IWPA should work on this.”

COMMENT NOW