Tamil Nadu’s prescience led it on the wind energy route long before it became fashionable to talk about it. In 1986, it launched a pilot project, and that enabled the State to become an early prominent player in the generation of green and sustainable energy. While other States have slowly gained ground in the race, with the constitution of the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL), the State is attempting to be a forerunner again in the renewable energy sector. Previously, wind was the only energy source that was termed renewable. The emergence of solar power — widely suited to the local climatic conditions — and the creation of batteries for storing the energy, several proposed hydro projects, and offshore wind mills have heralded a new age in Tamil Nadu’s energy scenario. The government then decided to create a separate entity by spinning the Non-Conventional Energy Sources Department off Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) and merging it with the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency. It is a separate venture for exploring renewable energy plans.
The State has a total green energy generation capacity of 34,700 megawatt (MW). This is more than 50% of the energy mix. Of it, wind energy capacity accounts for 10,500 MW, solar 7,360 MW, and hydro 600 MW. Co-generation accounts for 500 MW. The State has permitted private players in the wind and solar sectors, and the Energy Department has set an ambitious target of 15,000 MW of hydro-power generation through pumped storage.
