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| J&K’s first wind power project shelved over logistical hurdles | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 27: The first proposed wind energy project in Jammu and Kashmir is unlikely to materialise, with the plan having been shelved due to logistical challenges, according to official documents tabled in Parliament.
Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power, Shripad Yesso Naik, informed Parliament that a wind resource assessment conducted by the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) has indicated a modest potential of 3 MW at a hub height of 120 metres in the Union Territory.
He said that NHPC had initiated a proposal to set up a wind power project in Reasi district. However, the project failed to progress beyond the preliminary stage due to difficulties in transporting wind turbine blades to the site and challenges related to power offtake.
“The project could not move beyond the desk study stage owing to logistical constraints,” the Minister stated, adding that no wind energy projects are currently planned or under implementation in Jammu and Kashmir, as such developments depend on techno-economic feasibility assessed by developers.
Bidda village in Reasi district had earlier been identified as a suitable site for wind energy generation by NIWE in 2012. In January 2017, the then PDP-BJP government had informed the Assembly that the site had an assessed potential of 25 MW, with 6 MW proposed to be harnessed in the first phase as a pilot project.
At the time, the government had stated that around 534 kanals of land, owned by NHPC, had been identified for the project and its transfer to the Science and Technology Department was under active consideration. The project was expected to be executed during the 2017–18 financial year.
A Detailed Project Report (DPR), prepared by NIWE under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), had estimated the project cost at around Rs 50 crore. However, the proposal never moved forward.
The shelving of the project comes even as the government continues to emphasise the region’s renewable energy potential. In 2023, the administration drafted a wind power policy for the Union Territory, acknowledging Jammu and Kashmir as an energy-deficient region despite abundant natural resources.
The draft policy highlights that renewable sources such as solar, wind, water, and biomass remain underutilised, resulting in low per capita energy availability and increased dependence on conventional fuels, contributing to deforestation and pollution.
While noting that Jammu and Kashmir has “reasonable” wind energy potential, the government identified extreme climatic conditions, particularly harsh winters, as a key challenge in harnessing wind power. However, it also pointed to evolving technologies that are making wind energy generation viable even in cold regions.
According to official estimates, the Union Territory has an installable wind energy potential of 5,311 MW at 50 metres height and 5,685 MW at 80 metres height.
Spread across approximately 2.22 lakh square kilometres, with diverse agro-climatic conditions and largely hilly terrain, Jammu and Kashmir continues to face high energy demand, especially during winter months. Experts believe that tapping into clean energy sources like wind power could play a crucial role in addressing the region’s energy deficit in a sustainable manner. |
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