(a) whether any engagements in Renewables like Offshore Wind and Green Hydrogen have been undertaken with Denmark;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has signed an agreement with Denmark for the setting up of a Centre of Excellence for Offshore Wind;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the Government proposes to set up any offshore wind energy project off the coast of Andhara Pradesh; and
(f) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER
(SHRI R.K. SINGH)
(a)&(b) GoI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Govt. of Denmark on 06.02.2008 for cooperation in New and Renewable Energy (NRE) between Danish and Indian entities with the aim of developing NRE technologies. Under the framework of above MoU, a strategic sector cooperation agreement in the field of renewable energy with a focus on offshore wind energy was signed on 06.03.2019 between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and The Ministry for Energy, Utilities and Climate, The Kingdom of Denmark. The main objectives of the cooperation agreement are as follows;
• Technical capacity building for management of off-shore wind projects.
• Measures to develop and sustain a highly efficient wind industry, onshore as well as offshore.
• Measures to ensure high quality of wind turbines, components, and certification requirements.
• Forecasting and scheduling of offshore wind.
• Any other area as may be mutually agreed upon.
(c) & (d) Under the aegis of Memorandum of Understanding signed on 06.02.2008 with Govt. of Denmark, a letter of Intent was signed on 6th March, 2019 regarding the establishment of Centre of Excellence with focus on the following areas:
(a) Renewable energy resource assessments with focus on onshore and offshore wind;
(b) Hybridization of Wind, Solar, Hydro, storage;
(c) Integration of renewable energy including high level of wind energy;
(d) Testing and R&D; and
(e) Skill development / Capacity building.
The Centre of Excellence for Offshore Wind and Renewable Energy was jointly launched by Minister of New & Renewable Energy and Power, GoI and Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities, Denmark on 9th September 2021.
(e)&(f) Based on the preliminary assessment carried out by National Institute of Wind Energy, offshore wind energy potential sites have been identified off the coast of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
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