Offshore wind technology of India: Potential and perspectives

Abstract

India has 7600 km of coastline, making offshore wind energy a promising sustainable energy source that could satisfy the country's energy requirements. In contrast to onshore equivalents, offshore wind energy systems provide several benefits like availability of high and steady wind speeds, huge energy potential, and less noise. This study reviews the advancement in offshore wind technology and discusses the recent advancement in offshore wind turbines, foundations, and transmission systems. It highlights the different types of controls and the reliability of turbines along with some general maintenance issues encountered in offshore wind turbines. The different types of foundations and their characteristic features of recent transmission systems is also discussed. The offshore wind energy potential of India was reviewed. The three models employed by India to attract Indian and foreign investors serve as the scope of the framework for this study. Models A, B, and C represent the viability gap funding model, non-viability gap funding model (with exclusivity over the seabed), and non-viability gap funding model (without exclusivity over the seabed). The available site characteristics of the most promising regions for offshore wind energy, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu were outlined. The study discusses the feasibility of offshore wind energy in India and the CAPEX, OPEX, and levelized cost of energy for generated energy considering the met-ocean, wind and geotechnical characteristics of the potential offshore wind farm regions. This study includes the role of subsidies in the cost of offshore wind energy in India. The prevalent policies and regulatory frameworks for the development of offshore wind energy in India are outlined with the comparative study of other offshore wind markets. This study aims to present the technological advancement and availability of technologies in offshore wind energy along with the potential of offshore energy development in India with its characteristic engineering, financial, environmental, and regulatory features.