Wind power auction every month
With renewable power becoming more affordable, the government is set to auction wind power projects more frequently and is willing to abandon separate purchase obligation for different sources of clean energy for state utilities. Speaking at an event here, Goyal said wind power bids should be brought out every month and industry players which are inefficient would either evolve and face competition or finally wind up. “I welcome the churning happening in the industry and look forward to healthy competition and affordable power for all through increase in scale,” a power ministry statement said quoting Piyush Goyal, who presided over signing of power purchase agreement for 1050 mega watts (MW) between winning bidders in the first wind power auction held in February and PTC India Ltd. PTC will supply this power to power distribution firms in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Delhi and Odisha to meet their non-solar renewable energy purchase obligation (RPO). Mytrah Energy (India) Ltd,, Green Infra Ltd., Ostro Kutch Wind Pvt. Ltd and Inox Wind Infrastructure Services Ltd are among the winning bidders. The statement said that the minister also floated the idea of doing away with the requirement of separate RPOs for different sources of clean energy and allow states to independently decide their energy mix. Goyal wants to scale up all forms of clean energy, while depending on conventional thermal power for meeting the base load of the grid. The emphasis on monthly auction of wind power projects is in line with the government’s goal of having 60 giga watt (GW) of wind power by 2022. As on 30 June, India has 32.5 GW of wind power, out of a total power generation capacity of 330 GW.
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