India’s first wind project commissioned in Gujarat

India’s first wind project has been commissioned in the State of Gujarat.

The 30MW project was awarded to ENGIE on a Build Own Operate (BOO) model in December 2017.

It was issued by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL), the State’s distribution company, under a 25-year PPA at a tariff of INR 2.44/KWhr through completive bidding and e-reverse auction.

The project, located near Tithwa and Pachdwarka villages in Gujarat’s Morbi district, combines 13 wind turbines of 2.3MW that have been supplied, built and commissioned by Senvion India.

It was achieved adhering to the highest standards of Health, Safety & Environment, resulting in 280,000 safe man-hours without Lost Time Incident.

Senvion has also been entrusted with the comprehensive operations and maintenance (O&M) contract for 10 years.

With a CO2 emission reduction of 109,000 tonnes annually, this wind farm will contribute to India’s ambitions to develop renewable energy and lower its carbon footprint.

“We look forward to continuing to support India’s low-carbon generation investments and in the wider Middle East region whilst continuing to operate to the highest possible health and safety standards.”

ENGIE has a total capacity of around 1.5GW renewable power in operation and under construction, with wind projects in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, and solar projects in Punjab, Rajastan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Senvion turbines are 80% localized in India. Senvion India employs a direct workforce of 325 people in India and creates further employment within the country through local sourcing.

Amit Kansal, CEO and managing director of Senvion India, said: “We are extremely proud to reach this key milestone in India.

“Senvion remains fully committed to the Indian market with its Make-in-India supply chain strategy and R&D capabilities in India.

“The significant growth potential within the Indian market ensures we can maximize our localize presence and ensure the highest levels of local engineering support and customer service for our customers.”