RE-Invest 2024: CEO Roundtable delved into opportunities and challenges for Offshore Wind energy sector in Gujarat

The roundtable, organized on the sidelines of the 4th edition of the Global Renewable Energy Investors' Meet and Expo (RE-INVEST 2024), brought together key government officials, industry leaders, and international experts to discuss the development of offshore wind energy in Gujarat. The roundtable focused on strategies to harness Gujarat's immense offshore wind energy potential, leveraging its 1,600 km coastline and well-developed port infrastructure.

The roundtable was chaired by Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of Gujarat and moderated by Alp Gunesever, Special Advisor at the Danish Energy Agency. Senior officials from both government and industry exchanged thoughts, had in-depth discussions, and fostered partnerships among key stakeholders.

The session opened with an address by Government of Gujarat, highlighting key milestones, including securing Viability Gap Funding for 500 MW of offshore wind projects along the Pipavav coast and approval for seabed blocks to develop 10 GW of offshore wind parks in Gujarat.

Commenting on this CEO Roundtable, Shri Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of Gujarat, said, "With its impressive 1,600-kilometer coastline, Gujarat is strategically positioned to become a hub for offshore wind energy sector in India. Favourable wind speeds and water depths make Gujarat an ideal location for large-scale offshore wind farms. Offshore wind energy is likely to play a pivotal role in helping India achieve its target of "500 GW by 2030" and "Net Zero by 2070" and Gujarat is poised to emerge as a key player in the offshore wind energy. The Central government has already identified potential offshore wind blocks off Gujarat's coast, with a potential of 32-35 GW of wind energy. This development aligns with Gujarat's goal of achieving 100 GW of installed RE capacity by 2030, contributing significantly to the nation's clean energy portfolio."

The forum underscored the need for a skilled workforce, dedicated port facilities, and the utilization of available funding mechanisms from institutions like the IFC and the World Bank. The successful development of offshore wind energy projects heavily relies on a clear and supportive regulatory framework. The Government of India and the Government of Gujarat have initiated several key policy measures to create a conducive environment for offshore wind energy. The roundtable delved into attracting large-scale investments through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), Green Financing, and incentives for both domestic and international investors.

To support logistics and supply chains for offshore wind projects, Gujarat is investing in enhancing its port infrastructure and transmission network. Advance mechanisms for managing fluctuating power outputs from wind farms and how to leverage the existing infrastructure for connecting Offshore Wind Farms to the State and National Grid will also be discussed.

India is still in the early stages of developing offshore wind energy projects, and while venturing into this domain, Gujarat will be facing a few challenges in terms of advanced structures for offshore platforms, transmission to onshore grid, regulatory processes and other technical and operational challenges.

 This roundtable provided a platform to discuss methods and solutions to overcome the challenges of developing offshore wind projects in Gujarat.