TN set to regain top slot in clean energy with fresh capacity addition

Tamil Nadu may regain the top slot in total installed capacity in renewable energy as the state has bright prospects for capacity addition in wind and solar sectors in the coming year. . Last year, Karnataka had toppled Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka is the top State with a total installed capacity of 13,042 MW as of January, 2019, while the same for Tamil Nadu is 12,125 MW.

Tamil Nadu, however, is the leader in wind capacity, while Karnataka occupies the top position in the solar segment.

Helped by faster installations in the solar sector and significant improvement in wind capacity, Karnataka has risen to the top position from the fifth rank about four years ago. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), in September 2015, Tamil Nadu was the leader in renewable energy with a total capacity of 8,466 MW, while Karnataka’s capacity was 4,606 MW.

Of the total renewable capacity of 13,042 MW of Karnataka, solar segment accounted 5,323 MW (which includes 5,175 MW in ground-mounted capacity and 154 MW in rooftop category), followed by wind power at 4,683 MW. Small hydro, co-gen power and bio-power accounted for the rest.

For Tamil Nadu, wind remains the major segment with a total installed capacity of 8,764 MW, while in the solar segment the state’s installed capacity is 2,233 MW (includes 2,098 MW of ground-mounted and 135 MW of rooftop capacity). Bio-power and bagasse co-gen capacity contributed 1,004 MW and 941 MW respectively and small hydro 123 MW of capacity.

A renewable energy consulting firm Bridge to India expects a total capacity addition of 15,860 MW in the renewable sector in India in 2019.

In solar, 1,872 MW of new solar capacity is expected to come in Tamil Nadu, while Karnataka is expected to add 1,555 MW.

Wind power sector

The overall capacity addition in the wind sector is expected at 2,300 MW in 2019 and almost all this new capacity is expected to come up in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

With a favourable outlook, Tamil Nadu may add much higher capacity than Karnataka and regain the top position among the States.

sources@bussiness line