India’s government said the country’s wind capacity has hit the 37GW mark, adding just 2GW in 12 months as it inches towards a target of 60GW by 2022 that commentators have warned will be a major stretch.
The figure, which covers installations to the end of October, was released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and compares to the 35GW cumulative total at the same point in 2018, released a year ago.
The latest tally means India has three years to install 23GW if it is to meet the target, part of a 175GW overall renewables ambition that also includes 100GW of solar.
India’s 2022 renewable energy goals have come under intense scrutiny over the last six months, with various industry commentators and research groups warning that it is on course to miss them – claims that the Indian government has sharply rebuffed.
The nation is counting on a massive tendering programme to deliver a burst of capacity building in the next few years – despite a list of challenges that includes low tariffs that deter investors, grid connection issues, land availability and financially distressed state power distributors that owe developers huge sums.
Another blow came when the new government in the key renewable state of Andhra Pradesh said it wanted to change previously-agreed tariff deals with renewable energy projects.
MNRE said in a statement issued in October that claims it will fall short reflect don’t reflect “the status on the ground and plans ahead”.
Recharge reported last week how a senior official at India’s National Institute for Wind Energy conceded the country is on course to miss a 5GW target for offshore wind additions.
