Offshore wind energy - potential for India
This paper attempts to analyze energy demand scenario, especially that of almost unlimited wind energy and highlight vast potential of offshore wind energy for India in territorial water along its long coastline. Challenges to exploit this potential, financial viability of such offshore energy projects, social, environmental, and other related issues are discussed in Indian context to serve as a useful tool for policymakers to allocate resources for detailed studies for estimation and its ultimate utilization to add to growing pool of renewable energy.
Wind energy development and policy in India: A review
Abstract India is blessed with immense renewable energy resources in general and wind energy resources in particular. Evaluating the potential of wind energy resources in changing the energy scenario in the country is vital for development of wind turbine installations in near future. About 34605 MW capacity wind power plants are installed so far as up to September 2018. In the wind energy conversion/utilization, India stands on fourth position in the world. This paper presents the status and development of wind energy in India. This paper discusses the challenges and opportunities in the development of wind energy in the country and also different approaches to increase and expand the utilization of wind resources.
Littoral drift sources and sinks along the Indian coast
Numerous theoretical and field studies have been carried out to quantify the volume and direction of littoral sediment transport along the Indian coast. Nevertheless, very little effort has been made to identify the sources for the littoral transport, which feed to the nearshore transport mechanism and on sinks, wherein the continuous movement of the littoral sediment breaks and deposits over a considerable period of time. Rivers are the major source for the littoral drift and the annual discharge of sediments to sea along the Indian coast is about 1.2 × 10 kg. The construction of inland dams, irrigation barrages, have considerably reduced the sediment load brought to the sea. Due to the fall in the influx of sediments and concentration of wave energy, many coastal segments experience erosion. In order to identify the extent of the significance of the major sinks for the sediment deposition along the Indian coast, a study was undertaken to evaluate the long-term sediment deposition in Gulf of Kachchh, Gulf of Khambhat, Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay and Sandheads. The study shows an average yearly deposition of sediments to a thickness of 0.025 m at Gulf of Kachchh, 0.03 m at Gulf of Khambhat, 0.01 m at Gulf of Mannar, 0.006 m at Palk Bay and 0.003 m at Sandheads. The depositional features identified in the present study have been noticed as occurrences of spits, shoals and the progradation of coastline.