Huge Potential For Rooftop Wind Power Generation: Govt

Gandhinagar: Even as solar rooftop power generation has become popular in the state, the Gujarat government says there is a huge potential for small-scale wind power rooftop power projects as well. The renewable energy (RE) policy announced on Wednesday has made provision for setting up small-scale wind power projects on rooftops.

“Small scale wind projects can be installed by consumers on rooftops or within premises under a net metering arrangement to offset their own consumption or under a gross metering arrangement and sell the entire generation to DISCOM, as per the applicable regulations of GERC. The RE developer may avail incentives and benefits under the central or state government scheme, as available,” the RE policy says.

According to latest figures provided by the state government, Gujarat has a 2,068MW installed capacity in residential rooftop solar power generation, the highest in the country. The average daily generation of power is 8.50 million units through residential rooftop solar power installations.

“Gujarat is leading the country in the residential rooftop solar power generation scheme. As the same benefits available to solar rooftop power generation have now been extended to rooftop wind power generation, there is a huge scope for growth of wind power generation on residential rooftops,” a senior official in the government said.

“Currently, rooftop small wind turbines are in their infancy in the state. The RE policy is set to be in effect for the next five years and the expectation is that over this period, technologies for economically feasible small wind turbines suitable for rooftops will be available,” sources in the government said.