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Scaling Up Small Wind Turbines in India: Barriers and the Road Ahead

A brief report by WRI India & Clean on Scaling up small wind turbines in India, Barriers and options for the way forward

Small Wind Turbines (SWTs) present a promising, flexible solution for expanding India’s renewable energy footprint, particularly in areas that are not ideal for large wind farms. These systems, whether standalone or hybridized (such as with solar), are categorized as Distributed Renewable Energy Generation (DREG) — a priority under India’s clean energy agenda.

In addition to boosting wind energy utilization, SWTs align with the government’s goals for livelihood enhancement through DREG and contribute to Distributed Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) mandates. Yet, despite these advantages, their adoption remains minimal.

As of January 2024, India has over 44 GW of large-scale onshore wind capacity, ranking behind only China (441 GW), the U.S. (148 GW), and Germany (69 GW), according to IRENA. However, small wind and hybrid systems in India collectively account for just 3.3–5 MW, per MNRE estimates. In comparison, China has installed 704 MW, and the U.S. about 156 MW of SWTs (US DOE, 2023).

What’s more striking is that wind-rich states like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Karnataka, despite leading in utility-scale wind, have very limited SWT installations — Tamil Nadu with only 257 kW, Gujarat 20 kW, and Karnataka 39 kW.

The technical potential of SWTs in India is vast. While official figures are lacking, the World Institute of Sustainable Energy (WISE) estimates it at 83 GW, and a recent study by Kumar et al. (2022) places the potential in Tamil Nadu alone at 4 GW.

Yet, Several factors continue to hinder the growth of this segment: lack of awareness, fragmented policies, absence of strong financial incentives, and limited standardization. To unlock the sector’s potential, a targeted policy framework is essential — one that supports R&D, standardizes technology, enables easier financing, and builds capacity among local developers and users.

The Way Forward

To truly scale SWTs in India:

• Awareness campaigns and capacity-building at local levels are crucial.
• Policy alignment with existing DREG and RPO initiatives will help create an enabling environment.
• Financial support such as subsidies, tax incentives, and low-interest financing must be prioritized.
• Development of robust standards and quality assurance mechanisms can increase investor and user confidence.

With the right interventions, SWTs could play a pivotal role in India’s journey toward its 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity target by 2030 while empowering rural communities and promoting energy access.