Tamil Nadu, which has the largest number of wind mills installed in the country, has seen a drop in installation of new wind turbines during April-June this year.
According to the Indian Wind Power Association, just about 80 MW of wind mills were installed during the first quarter of this financial year as against nearly 250 MW last year. This is because of several factors.
“The State is looking at tremendous growth in the renewable energy sector. This requires efforts to boost wind energy generation,” says K. Kasthoorirangaian, chairman of the association.
The State currently had over 6,000 MW of installed wind energy capacity and for the last three months, almost 35 per cent of energy consumption in the State was from wind mills.
“Pay dues”
However, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation had not paid the wind mill owners for more than a year for the energy supplied to the grid by these mills.
He appealed to the Chief Minister to consider monthly disbursement of the amount for wind energy supplied to the grid and to settle the arrears at the earliest.
The Energy Consumption Tax that was waived for the last three years had been reintroduced.
The waiver must be restored for wind mills.
The State Government should take up with the Union Government the reintroduction of the accelerated depreciation scheme for wind mills.
The grid infrastructure should be strengthened and more substations established in the State to absorb fully the wind energy generated, he said.
