Assessment of wind and solar energy potential of Tamil Nadu, India using GIS
Student name: Ms Saumya Mansi
Guide: Dr P K Joshi
Year of completion: 2013
Host Organisation: WWF-India, New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr G Areendran
Abstract: India, today stands at the foothills of being a developed nation. A number of ideas are brimming to
create luxurious standards of living for all the citizens. One of the key factors in such development
initiates is availability of energy. Energy has become necessity for living in the modern world. Many
studies have marveled upon various factors that are associated with the development of a country. The
poor cannot bear the increasing cost of adjustment due to climate change that has been caused by high
emission rates (of GHGs) amongst other things. These studies boil down to a relevant conclusion that
amongst other inputs, energy holds a vital position. Abundance of energy would thus supplement
uniform growth of the nation. Tamil Nadu is the southern most state of India and it enjoys a high wind
and solar energy potential. This study aims to explore this potential. Geoinformatics is used as a
primary tool to conduct this research. The study concludes that the wind and solar energy of the sate
complement each other and thus can be used in a unique amalgamated form to generate electricity.
Keyword: Tamil Nadu, Wind Energy, Solar Energy, GIS, spatial mapping
