NTPC Limited, the largest power generation company in India, has finally entered the country’s largest renewable energy sector.
NTPC Limited recently announced that it will set up its first wind energy project after months of aggressive and continued push into the solar power market.
According to the company, a 50 MW wind energy project shall be set up in the western state of Gujarat. The project shall be executed by Inox Wind Energy Limited. The project is expected to require a total investment of Rs 323.35 crore.
So far, NTPC has been pushing for solar power projects and has perhaps the largest solar power capacity addition target in India. NTPC will serve as the cornerstone of India’s ultra mega solar power projects programme. India plans to add up to 40 gigawatts of solar power capacity through this programme up setting up solar power parks of capacity up to 4 gigawatts each.
Auctions for several such solar power parks has already begun and a number of developers have commissioned large-scale projects as well.
Being a government owned entity NTPC should have little to no problem in selling the power generated from the wind energy project. Several private companies that own wind energy projects have complained about the poor off-take of power by utilities due to higher tariffs of wind power.