The Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) said, it was estimated that around 5,000 mega watt (Mw) of power can be generated through wind energy in Tamil Nadu. Of this, 4,889 Mw has already achieved in March. The agency also said wind-based power generation will be enhanced further and next focus will be on solar.

R Christodas Gandhi, principal secretary, TEDA, said 41 sites were located in Tamil Nadu for setting up wind farms for power generation, of which 26 sites are exhausted. “We are also now looking at possibilities for setting up wind farms in offshore and coast line.”

“For the next five years Tamil Nadu is likely to add 500 Mw of wind power every year. Apart from this, the state has the potential to generate power from waste.Salem and Namakkal alone can produce 150 Mw of power by using waste, the state government had not tapped the opportunity so far,” said Deepak Gupta, secretary, ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE).

Gandhi added, solar energy also offers exciting opportunities in the state. “The only factor is cost, unless it comes down below Rs 10 crore (for setting up a one Mw solar power plant) investors will keep shying away from solar energy. This can be done through innovation and indigenous technology.”

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