Goa advancing country’s green growth agenda, says Pralhad JoshiGoa could be at the heart of India’s green energy transition despite limitations in harnessing wind power, writes Joao Sousa M
As the country accelerates toward green energy horizon, Goa finds itself at a crossroads, balancing structural constraints with its duty to national progress. The central government has set an ambitious target of 100 GW of domestic wind capacity by 2030, followed by the goal of 155 GW wind energy by 2035. The union government wants states with suboptimal wind speeds to contribute towards achieving the ambitious target
A recent report from the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) confirms that Goa does not host any utility-scale, grid-connected wind installations. The state faces severe structural limitations that prevent the direct deployment of large-scale green infrastructure. However, there is still hope due to fast changing technology as modern wind turbines are now being able to generate electricity with suboptimal wind speeds.
Usage of technology could put Goa on the national wind energy landscape alongside states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh which continue to remain major hubs for wind energy.
Severe land constraints could become a stumbling block for Goa. While large-scale onshore wind farms require vast stretches of continuous land. Goa’s small geographical area and dense population make acquiring land for such installations highly unfeasible. The Western Ghats offer high wind potential, but local regulations strictly protect these fragile ecosystems. This environmental priority limits heavy infrastructure development to avoid destabilizing wildlife habitats.
As acknowledged by the power minister, Sudin Dhavalikar admitted that while the state government has been working towards transitioning to green energy over the last five years wind energy has not been tapped due to the geographical and topographical constrains and land costing being exorbitant.
“While Goa has been developing as a progressive state on all fronts especially towards sustainable development, it is lagging behind in developing of wind energy. With the focus on green tourism there is an opportunity for to look at wind power with the support of stake holders,” said the power minister.
Wind resource mapping shows that Goa’s coastal wind densities are significantly lower than top-performing states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, making local utility-scale power generation commercially non-viable. Yet Goa has slowly forayed its way into the every growing market with the state already contributing to the supply chain and component manufacturing , thus contributing to the nation building towards achieving the national target by 2035.
As pointed out by Girish Tanti, chairman, Indian Wind Turbine Manufactures Association and vice chairman, Global Wind Energy Council, “Goa definitely has a role to play and some value chain already exists here as there are a few manufactures who are developing carbon fiber components. As more and more people participate in the wind sector there will be room for companies to participate in the supply chain side as well as on the wind development front.”
The state recently hosted the national Global Wind Day celebrations reflecting its emerging role in India’s renewable energy transition. Minister for renewable energy Pralhad Joshi, appreciated the active participation of the state government in advancing the country’s green growth agenda.
“India’s wind sector has witnessed unprecedented growth, with annual wind turbine manufacturing capacity increasing from 10 GW in 2014 to 24 GW today. The progress in capacity reflects the success of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative,” pointed out Joshi. He informed that India recorded its highest-ever annual wind capacity addition in 2025-26, crossing 6 GW in a single year, representing nearly a 46 per cent increase over the previous year and reaffirming India’s position among the world’s fastest-growing wind energy markets.
To achieve the ambitious target of 100 GW of domestic wind capacity by 2030 and building toward a 155 GW milestone by 2035, the government will look to replace the old wind turbines some of which are about two decades old, with modern state of the art turbines which will enhance power production. The ministry is also looking to explore building hybrid plants where solar and wind energy could combine to provide 24 x 7, green energy.
