India added 1.2 GW of new wind energy capacity in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024, a 56% YoY surge from 737.9 MW, according to Mercom India Research. The cumulative wind capacity as of March 2024 stood at 45.9 GW, compared to 44.7 GW at the end of Q4 2023.

The growing need to increase renewable energy generation and capacity utilization factor (CUF) has spurred an increase in wind-solar hybrid projects nationwide, driving capacity additions.

In Q1 2024, the installations surged by 109% QoQ as obligated entities typically add higher capacities in the last quarter of a financial year to meet the wind energy share of their renewable energy purchase obligations (RPO).

Notable projects commissioned during the quarter were Adani Green’s 300 MW wind power project and a 126 MW wind power project in Gujarat.

KP Energy also commissioned a 25.2 MW wind project under Solar Energy Corporation of India’s (SECI) 163.8 MW Phase VI wind project in Gujarat.

During the quarter, Gujarat and Karnataka added significant wind capacities of 499 MW and 424 MW, respectively.

Gujarat led the states for cumulative wind installations, accounting for 26.2% of the country’s total capacity. Tamil Nadu came next with 23.7%.

At the end of March 2024, Karnataka had the third highest installations, representing 13.5% of the total wind capacity, and Rajasthan ranked fourth with 11.6%.

Maharashtra ranked fifth, accounting for 11.6% of the installed wind capacity during the quarter, followed by Andhra Pradesh (9.2%) and Madhya Pradesh (6.4%).

In December 2023, MNRE  revised its 2016 policy for repowering wind power projects to facilitate the replacement of older turbines.

Around the same time, the Ministry of External Affairs issued the Offshore Wind Energy Lease Rules 2023, notifying that leased areas for offshore wind energy projects will be valid for an initial three-year period for conducting resource measurements and surveys.

In a bid to harness the potential of offshore wind energy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget 2024 speech, announced viability gap funding for offshore wind projects with a cumulative capacity of 1 GW. This financial support is expected to propel the development of offshore wind projects, contributing to India’s renewable energy goals.