Wind, solar power meeting demands in times of coal shortage

Normally, the peak wind power generation season ends by mid-September, but the delayed SW monsoon withdrawal has come as a blessing in disguise for the Tangedco with windmills along with solar plants supplying nearly 30 per cent of the state’s daily power requirement.

On Tuesday, the state’s energy consumption stood at 287 million units with 29 per cent of the total consumption or 83 MU came from renewable energy, including 68 MU from wind power. “We are getting a good forecast for wind power generation. Even today (Wednesday), the windmills were generating about 3,500 MW in the afternoon and suddenly it came down to 2,500 MW,” a senior Tantransco official said.

Dr S Balachandran, deputy director-general of Meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre, said that South West monsoon withdrawal has been taking place. “We are expecting withdrawal of the monsoon by October 15 to 18 in the state,” he said.

Indian Wind Power Association Chairman Prof Dr K Kasthurirangaian said that after a slump in the generation in the first week of October, the wind power generation has picked up. “We are getting good southwesterly winds this month too. Even last year, we got good winds during October and it helped in better generation,” he said.

An expert in the wind power sector said, “Any delay in the SW monsoon withdrawal will help boost wind generation.” Tantransco officials said that wind power generation has helped the state manage the coal shortage crisis better.

“All the private thermal power stations supplying to Tangedco are dependent on the imported coal. With the cost of the imported coal going up and the coal shortage, the private plants are not able to supply power to meet our demand. Coastal Energen and IL&FS thermal plants in the state are under shutdown,” the official said.