India invites EoI for maiden 1-GW offshore wind project

India today announced it is seeking expressions of interest (EoI) for the development of its first commercial offshore wind farm, with a capacity of 1 GW.

The EoI request has been launched by the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), a research and development (R&D) institution under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

The proposed site for the project is off the coast of the western Indian state of Gujarat, more specifically near Pipavav port at the Gulf of Khambhat. The Facilitating Offshore Wind in India (FOWIND) consortium in 2017 commissioned India's first offshore LiDAR in the gulf. The project site is in Zone B of the FOWIND defined zones.

The EoI is aimed at "suitable and experienced" bidders -- global companies that have installed more than 500 MW of offshore wind projects, or local onshore wind manufacturers/power developers with a tie-up to global offshore wind turbine manufacturers or offshore wind developers.

The winner will be selected through competitive bidding among shortlisted parties. It will enter into a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with a "designated government agency."

Responses are due on May 25, with the opening set for May 28.

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