Wind Energy - The Best Renewable Source of Energy for India

Image taken from here.

India ranks fifth in the list of largest consumers of electricity, in the world. However, India is lowest ranked when it come to per capita consumption. India also ranks high in pollution.

For a country like India, which has a huge population, non-renewable energy is not an option, and definitely not a long-term option. That is the reason India desperately needs to look towards clean renewable energy sources. Our country needs to make sure that we can keep up a constant supply of electricity while keeping emissions at a minimum.

Fortunately, India is a major player in the global wind energy market, and it still has plenty of potential. This untapped potential has the ability to ensure steady growth of the Indian wind energy sector over the coming years.

I think above all, the biggest obstruction to the wind energy sector is the people’s presumptions regarding wind energy. People think wind energy is inefficient. While it is true that wind turbines are an intermittent source of energy, energy storage solutions are developing. People also think that wind energy is expensive, which is also untrue. Over the years thanks to gear-less wind turbine generators and other types of technologies, the cost of generating electricity from wind has decreased substantially.  There are now longer and lighter wind turbine blades, which have increased the efficiency and cost of wind turbines. We should also not forget the cost that other types of non-renewable have on the environment. Fossil fuels are depleting and cannot be considered a long-term source of energy. Wind turbine generators are also safe, unlike nuclear power generators. On the other hand whereas there are several incidents of people dying or getting seriously injured or impaired while working nuclear power plants or thermal power plants, there is no recorded incident of a person losing his life due to a wind turbine.

The other type of myths associated with wind turbines is that they are noisy and kill birds. Wind turbines make very little sound and there are not many incidents of bird killings caused due to these wind turbines.

Wind energy can also play a significant role in rural electrification, where usage of electricity is comparatively low. Companies with surplus profits also consider wind energy sector a reliable investment with good returns and tax benefits.

In conclusion, the rate at which wind energy technology is developing is far more exponential then that of other types of energy. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has also set targets for the Wind Energy sector. The sector aims to reach 60,000 MW capacities, for which it obviously needs complete support. Wind energy is the best source of clean energy in India I have no doubt that it will continue to prove itself in the future.