Parliament Question: Exploring Offshore Wind Energy in Karnataka Coast

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 570 ANSWERED ON 23/07/2025 EXPLORING OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY IN KARNATAKA COAST

570. SHRI B Y RAGHAVENDRA

Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Union Government has identified the Gujarat and Tamil Nadu as initial priority zones for offshore wind energy development and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is also exploring the potential for offshore wind projects along other parts of the Indian coastline including Karnataka and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has assessed or proposes to assess the offshore wind potential along the Karnataka coast which offer favourable conditions such as steady wind patterns, shallow seabed and proximity to power infrastructure and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether any preliminary wind resource mapping, geophysical surveys, or LiDAR installations have been proposed along the Karnataka coastline to evaluate its offshore wind potential and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government proposes to consider initiating feasibility studies or pilot projects along the coastline as a part of its broader strategy to diversify offshore wind development across multiple coastal States and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)

(a): Based on the preliminary studies carried out by the National Institute of Wind Energy

(NIWE) in collaboration with various multilateral agencies, the Government has identified eight zones each off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu as initial priority offshore wind energy zones. Maps showing these identified zones are attached as Annexure-I.

(b) to (d) NIWE has done preliminary offshore wind resource mapping along the entire Indian coastline, including Karnataka up to 200 nautical miles (nm) from the shore. As per the mesoscale data, the annual average wind speed along the Karnataka coast is in the range of 5–

5.2 m/s, which is considered as low speed for development of offshore wind energy projects.

Owing to low wind speed along the Karnataka coast, further studies such as geophysical surveys and LiDAR installations have not been proposed.

(e) Government has carried out feasibility studies for the offshore wind farms development off the coast of Gujarat and Tami Nadu under Facilitating Offshore Wind Energy in India

(FOWIND) program supported by European Union.

For pilot projects, a “Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme for Offshore Wind Energy Projects” have been launched for installation and commissioning of 1000 MW offshore wind projects (500 MW each off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu).

*****Annexure-I to Lok Sabha Unstarred question No. 570 to be answered on

23.07.2025 Identified Offshore Wind Zones off Gujarat coast Identified Offshore Wind Zones off Tamil Nadu coast