Chennai: TRB Rajaa, the Industries Minister of Tamil Nadu, stated that the state has the potential to harness 10 GW of offshore wind energy and expressed the government’s keen interest in its development. Speaking at the Envision Energy Festival held at IIT Madras Research Park, Rajaa emphasized the need to consider the impact on the environment and the livelihoods of fishermen in offshore wind projects.
While acknowledging the Union government’s initiation of tenders for offshore wind energy projects, Rajaa underscored the state’s commitment to ensuring that these projects take into account the well-being of the fishing community. He highlighted the state government’s focus on inclusive green growth, including a dedicated INR 1,000 crore venture capital fund for green projects.
In addition to offshore wind energy, green hydrogen is a significant focus area for the government. However, Rajaa emphasized the importance of considering environmental factors in this endeavour, particularly the impact on coral reefs when deploying cables from floating platform electrolysers at sea.
Rajaa emphasized that offshore wind energy is a core component of Tamil Nadu’s renewable energy mission, and as the state moves forward with these projects, environmental concerns and the interests of fishermen must be carefully considered.