Suzlon Energy, has signed a MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government for setting up of capacities to generate about 3,000 mw of wind power till 2016. The proposal entails an investment of about Rs18,000 crore.

Under the MoU, which was signed at the recent Partnership Summit in Hyderabad, the state government will facilitate Suzlon in obtaining necessary permissions, registrations, approvals and clearances for the development of wind farms in the state.

Suzlon, in turn, will play the role of a developer and facilitate the channelisation of investments into the state from its customers investing in wind energy.

Tulsi Tanti, chairman, Suzlon Group, said, “This not only reinforces Andhra Pradesh’s position as one of India’s emerging markets in wind energy, but also illustrates their commitment to power a low-carbon economy by embracing progressive policies to power rapidly growing economy of the state.”

The agreement covers the development planned in the districts of Tallimadugula, Alankarayanipeta, Gandikota, Vajrakarur, Tirumalayapalli and other parts of Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh is a key emerging wind market in the country, with medium to low wind sites ideally suited to Suzlon’s new S9X suite of turbines.

The state government, according to sources, is keen on making use of the proposal to develop a model for setting up of renewable energy sources and focus on developing clusters of wind and solar farms.

Wind power company Suzlon Energy is planning a USD 1.3 Bn project in regional South Australia to power 225,000 homes a year.

Suzlon Energy Australia said the USD 1.3 Bn wind farm will be built 20 kilometres South-West of Ardrossan, a small town on the East Coast of the Yorke Peninsula.

It said up to 180 turbines will generate 600 Mw of energy and deliver power to 225,000 homes in Adelaide via an undersea cable.

The project is expected to create 500 construction jobs and 50 ongoing jobs will be completed by the end of 2015, it said.

Suzlon Energy Australia Commercial Director Chris Judd said the company was approached by local landowners last year to develop the project.

“It’s basically been a landowner-developed project and this has been a dream of theirs for over seven years now, so the beauty of this project is that it does come with some seven years of homework and data, etc, behind it to help justify its economics,” he said.

Suzlon is also involved with wind farm projects at Hallett, North of Adelaide.

Premier Mike Rann said the Yorke Peninsula proposal will add to South Australia’s green credentials.

It was reported that Rann met with the company, the biggest wind turbine supplier in India and the world’s fifth-largest, during a trade trip to the South Asian nation earlier this month, where he stated that Suzlon had “really been helping us in generating wind power”.