14 February 2025 | Chennai, India
- Investment in the offshore wind supply chain presents a huge economic and social opportunity for India over the next 5-15 years and beyond.
- Tamil Nadu is uniquely positioned to be a regional champion for driving the growth of offshore wind manufacturing and services in India.
- To unlock the full benefits of offshore wind, the Government must mitigate uncertainty and commit strongly to the sector, giving confidence to business, investors and local stakeholders.
Tamil Nadu is in pole position to be a major player in India’s clean technology growth story. New analysis launched today by Ocean Energy Pathway, supported by GWEC and COWI, shows that Tamil Nadu holds the key to delivering up to 6,500 billion INR (72 billion EUR) of economic growth and an additional 805,000 jobs from the offshore wind manufacturing supply chain by 2030. The analysis shows that achieving the Government’s target of 37GW of offshore wind by 2030 will bring substantial social and economic benefits to India as a whole, and Tamil Nadu in particular, unlocked through ongoing strategic support from government and industry.
The report outlines five key recommendations to help deliver the significant social and economic potential of the offshore wind industry in India. With the right policy and regulatory frameworks in place, offshore wind can deliver jobs, investment, emissions reductions and trade opportunities all at once. If India’s long-term full potential for offshore wind is realised, the report forecasts that by 2040, offshore wind will contribute total economic growth of 10,700 billion INR (119 billion EUR) and additional employment of 1,250,000 full-time jobs.
Charles Ogilvie, Executive Director at Ocean Energy Pathway, said:
“Offshore wind sits at the nexus of climate and nature, economic growth, and social impact. This report shows that there are tangible opportunities to supercharge the stellar growth that Tamil Nadu has enjoyed in manufacturing, through a strategic focus on this key sector; supporting India’s world class clean energy ambitions, and playing an important role in the global Offshore Wind supply chain.”
Mohana Priya, India Country Head at Ocean Energy Pathway, said:
“The National Manufacturing Mission announced in the Union Budget 2025 is a positive step forward for India’s rollout of renewable energy, including offshore wind. This report shows the incredible potential for offshore wind in India and to unlock the full benefits, the regional and national governments must commit strongly to the sector, giving confidence to business, investors and local stakeholders.”
Rebecca Williams, Deputy CEO at Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), said:
“Once again, we see the undeniable potential of offshore wind to deliver economic, social and climate benefits. Wind energy means clean and secure energy, with additional jobs and new industry. The wind industry looks forward to working alongside stakeholders in Tamil Nadu and beyond to build a supply chain which unlocks the enormous benefits of the energy transition for communities at local, national and international level, and secures a 1.5°C world.”
Tamil Nadu stands out, with high wind speeds, shallow seabed depths, and proximity to industrial hubs – already representing 46% of India’s total capacity for manufacturing offshore wind turbines. With the right government support, existing skills and supply chains can be leveraged to accelerate the development of a booming offshore wind manufacturing and services sector.
The report calls for strategic and substantial investments to boost confidence and capacity, offering five recommendations to unlock this opportunity in Tamil Nadu and across India as a whole, increasing investment, creating jobs, and cutting carbon emissions:
- Establish a clear pipeline with sufficient volumes for offshore wind development to attract OEMs to invest in new production facilities within Tamil Nadu.
- Create financial incentives for investors to accelerate the offshore wind build out in Tamil Nadu, such as providing a guaranteed power offtake.
- Set out a clear institutional framework articulating guidelines, regulations, processes, and responsibilities to make the opportunity more attractive to business and investors.
- Take a strategic approach to publicly provided enabling infrastructure e.g. port expansions, transmission infrastructure, upland development, etc.
- Define clear Local Content Requirements which support local offshore wind development to make sure that the full potential of a Tamil Nadu supply chain can be harnessed.
For more information, contact:
Navneet Khinda, Global Strategy Director, Ocean Energy Pathway media@oceanenergypathway.org
Notes to Editors
The full report can be found here.
Ocean Energy Pathway fast-tracks the development of a sustainable, high ambition, global offshore wind sector, as part of a thriving blue economy. As a not-for-profit organisation, Ocean Energy Pathway delivers expert, independent technical assistance to governments and stakeholders and works with policymakers, industry, conservation leaders, and other stakeholders to build strategies to sustainable scale for the sector. Ocean Energy Pathway is scaling in over ten markets and over the last year has launched operations in Brazil, India, Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea.
COWI is a global consulting group headquartered in Denmark with 8,000 employees. Together with our customers, we work to shape a sustainable and liveable world by co-creating innovative solutions that improve the quality of life for people today and many generations ahead. Our range of services includes engineering, architecture, energy and environment. With a strong presence in Scandinavia, the UK and North America and activities in more than 35 countries, we provide flexibility when supporting our customers in achieving their sustainability goals.
GWEC is a member-based organisation that represents the entire wind energy sector. The members of GWEC represent over 1,500 companies, organisations and institutions in more than 80 countries, including manufacturers, developers, component suppliers, research institutes, national wind and renewables associations, electricity providers, finance and insurance companies.
