The Venture Intelligence Blog

Businessworld has a Cover Story on the topic with special focus on the travails of wind energy in Tamilnadu , hydel energy in Uttarakhand and the emerging rooftop solar opportunity . Tamil Nadu has an installed capacity of 6,969 MW, or 40 per cent of our total wind energy capacity of 17,352 MW and 28 per cent of the total renewable energy capacity. Wind energy also accounts for 12.64 per cent of the electricity generated in the state (9,763 MU out of 77,218 MU). More than 95 per cent of the country’s wind energy potential is in the coastal states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. And while Karnataka has the largest potential, best wind sites are in Tamil Nadu. Four prominent passes in the state — Palghat, Shencottah, Aralvoimozhi and Kambam —  have average annual wind speeds ranging from 18 km/hr to 25 km/hr. In Karnataka, the average is about 10 km/hr.   Tamil Nadu, however, is power deficit — the average power availabil...

Business Today has an article on the Wind Energy sector with a special focus on the rise of ReGen Powertech (which is backed by PE investor Everstone and the Nuziveedu Seeds Group). The Chennai-headquartered company's first project was a 50 MW wind farm in Karnataka's Chitradurga district, which was commissioned in September 2009. Since then, it has not looked back. In 2008/09, its first year of commercial operations, ReGen had modest revenues of about Rs 160 crore. That shot up to Rs 1,232 crore in 2010/11 and is projected to have crossed Rs 2,500 crore in 2011/12. "I've known the sector since I was 22," says the 48-year-old Khemka. His company's performance underlines just how well. In the last three years, Khemka has increased the firm's installation performance six times, revenues five times and profits 11 times. "Our order books are almost closed for this year," he says. According to Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association data for 20...

Businessworld has a cover story on alternative energy scene in India. Extract from the section on Wind Energy : For India, these wonder machines have already helped generate more power with each passing year — from 2,483 MW in March 2004 to 7,093 MW last March. In October 2005, India raced past Denmark to become the world’s fourth-largest producer of wind energy after Germany, the US and Spain. In 2006, India installed 1,840 MW of additional capacity. It is also way ahead of China, which will add 5,000 MW only by 2010. Asia, which generates 10,600 MW through wind alone, beat the rest of the world last year with 53 per cent growth in installed capacity. A global consolidation in the wind energy industry has also been taking place. As a result, 80 per cent of the world’s wind energy business is now cornered by top five players. Pune-based Rs 1,530 crore Suzlon Energy, India’s largest and the world’s fifth largest wind turbine maker, glides on a 52 per cent market share in the country. T...