Site to be chosen for installing 150-metre-high wind monitoring mast
Shahin Bepari Lambe
Panaji: Goa could soon take its first step toward wind energy generation. The National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has shortlisted three locations in North and South Goa for a pilot project.
Agarvada, Arambol, and Kalmath in Loliem have been identified. From these three areas, one site will be chosen for the installation of a 150-metre-high wind monitoring mast.
“The proposed mast will be used to measure wind resources at a height of 150 metres and help determine the wind energy potential of the region,” said senior officials at the Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA). “The study is being funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.”
A plot measuring 150 by 150 metres will be required to erect the monitoring tower. The selected site must be free of obstacles and located away from high-tension power lines, national heritage areas, parks, and zoos.
According to the ‘Wind Resource Assessment of Goa’ report, the state’s onshore wind energy potential is limited, primarily due to lower wind speeds. The most common wind speed across the state ranges from 1.6 to 4 metres per second. Because modern wind turbines generally require speeds of at least 3 to 4 metres per second to begin generating electricity, Goa falls into a borderline category for large-scale wind power.
However, the report notes that certain pockets of the state do hold potential. Data from the NIWE estimates Goa’s technically installable onshore wind capacity at a hub height of 100 metres is only 0.8 MW.
While this potential increases at 120 metres, it remains modest compared to other states.
The report identifies the best conditions along some of Goa’s inland border regions, where average wind speeds can exceed 6.5 metres per second and wind power density ranges between 350 and 600 watts per square metre. These areas represent small pockets where wind power projects may be more feasible.
The assessment also examined the possibility of offshore wind energy. While India has set a target of 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030—and has an estimated total potential of 195 GW—Goa’s offshore prospects appear limited.
Offshore wind speeds in the region can reach up to 6 metres per second, whereas the optimum speed for offshore turbines is generally 7 metres per second or higher. Consequently, the wind power density in these areas was found to be much lower than in India’s top-performing regions.
India is currently the world’s fourth-largest wind power producer, having seen rapid growth over the past two decades; installed capacity rose from 1.5 GW in 2000 to 39.2 GW in 2020. Despite this national progress, the report notes that Goa does not yet have any utility-scale, grid-connected onshore or offshore wind power installations.
