Wind power to anchor India's round-the-clock renewable tenders, says MNRE

Wind energy is set to take a larger role in India's round-the-clock (RTC) and firm renewable power projects, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said, according to a Deccan Herald report. The shift points to a changing view of how wind fits into a grid that has leaned heavily on solar.

RTC and firm power contracts ask developers to supply electricity on demand, not just when the sun is up or the wind is blowing. That makes wind a useful partner to solar. Wind often generates at night and during the monsoon, when solar output drops.

Why wind matters for firm supply

Solar has driven most of India's renewable capacity additions in recent years. But a solar-only portfolio struggles to meet round-the-clock obligations without storage, which adds cost. Pairing wind with solar can smooth the daily generation curve and cut reliance on batteries.

The MNRE's position, as reported, is that wind should play a bigger part in these tenders. The ministry has not spelled out new targets or timelines in the report.

India's wind sector has its own hurdles. Land and transmission access remain slow in several states. The best wind sites are concentrated in a few regions, including Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Evacuation infrastructure has lagged in some of these areas.

Tenders and the road ahead

Firm and RTC auctions have drawn interest from large developers, though pricing has been tight. Adding wind to the mix could change project economics. It also raises questions about how bids are structured and how generation is measured.

The ministry's signal matters for developers weighing where to put capital. A clearer role for wind in RTC projects could support order books for turbine makers and open new hybrid sites.

For now, the report offers direction rather than detail. No fresh capacity numbers, auction schedules or policy changes were announced.

The takeaway is simple. Wind is no longer a side player in India's renewable build-out. It is being written into the contracts that promise power around the clock.