Wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa is evaluating the prospects of foraying into the solar power industry in the country, a move intended to create a new stream of revenue and strike synergies between two renewable energy sources.
The company, whose role in solar power now is limited to marketing inverters and mobile phone chargers, according to Gamesa India chairman and managing director Ramesh Kymal, wants to take up engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) works. This would mean Gamesa helping in the setting up solar power plants.
Interacting with presspersons here on Thursday at the launch of Gamesa’s green turbine project, Mr. Kymal said the company wanted to also explore the possibility of harnessing solar power at its wind farms. He, however, added that wind energy would remain the core business of the company. The company also wanted to popularise hybrid renewable energy solutions, primarily a combination of wind and solar.
Gamesa India, he replied to a query, proposed to add 1,000 MW wind energy projects next year and nearly 90 per cent of it would be in the form of 2 MW facilities. Such smaller capacity projects would lead to more indigenisation, up to 80 per cent equipment would be sourced locally, and help encourage independent power producers rather than those who look at wind energy for tax benefits.
On the status of reviving generation-based incentives, he said the Centre was working on the proposal.
Mr. Kymal said the green turbine project, involving planting of trees, was initiated with an objective to reduce carbon footprints in manufacturing, erection, commissioning and operation/maintenance of wind turbines. Over one lakh trees have been planted in various farms, another 2 lakh would be planted next year.
Agricultural scientist M. S. Swaminathan, who inaugurated the project, said it was an important contribution to follow a low carbon pathway. He expressed a hope that more companies would take up similar initiatives.
