Repowering Tamil Nadu’s aging wind farms to meet clean energy targets

In an old wind farm in the wind-rich region of Kayathar in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, there are 30 wind turbines, each with a 200-kilowatt (kW) capacity. Many of these turbines are nearing the end of their lifecycle of 20-25 years. Generally, the wind turbine generators (WTGs) at the end of service life exhibit high breakdown rates, require repairs, and are likely to suffer from a shortage of relevant replacement parts as the technology has improved significantly over the years.What if these turbines could be removed and replaced with the latest technology WTGs that are taller and more efficient? The six megawatts (MW) wind power plant would then generate 16.2 MW, finds a 2021 study that conducted an economic investigation of r.....