The 2nd International Conference on Climate Change and Ocean Renewable Energy (CCORE 2023)

Abstract: India is targeting carbon neutrality by 2070 and is increasing its reliance on renewable energy, particularly wind. With 10% of India's installed power capacity and 41% of renewable energy being wind, the government aims to develop 30 GW of offshore wind farms by 2030, necessitating assessment of wind energy potential and climate change sensitivity. Offshore wind energy potential and susceptibility to climate change in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) were studied using regional climate models and ensembles. Wind resource variations, trends, technical wind power potential annually and seasonally were analyzed by developing a dataset using suitable climate models. Additionally, the impact of climate change on offshore wind energy and its potential to mitigate CO₂ emissions were evaluated. The study found that the Indian EEZ possesses significant potential for offshore wind energy development. The study's findings suggest that wind farms established in areas with depths less than 50 m could potentially reduce CO₂ emissions by 36.6% of those generated from coal combustion in the financial year 2020-21. The study highlights the need for further research and analysis to support informed decision-making and sustainable resource development.