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Out of wind

a study conducted by the Coimbatore-based psg Science and Technology Entrepreneurial Park ( psgstep ) has said that the projected Ninth Five Year Plan target of 1,000 mw wind energy would fall short by around 600 mw, largely due to withdrawal of tax benefits by the government. It suggests the need for a shift in the policy to revive the industry by increasing the average installation from the present 60-70 mw to almost 200-250 mw. In view of the projected requirement of 240,000 mw of installed power generation capacity by 2012, entailing an annual addition of 10,000-15,000 mw, power generation from non-conventional sources of energy assumes greater significance. Environmental problems like depleting fossil fuels and global warming can also be tackled with the growing popularity of renewable sources of energy. At present, there are 1,800 mw wind power plants, which are at various stages of planning, in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala.

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