Tamil Nadu ‘in pole position’ for Indian offshore wind

A February 2025 report by Ocean Energy Pathway (OEP), supported by the Global Wind Energy Council and COWI, shows Tamil Nadu holds the key to delivering up to €72Bn (US$75Bn) of economic growth and an additional 805,000 jobs from the offshore wind manufacturing supply chain by 2030.

The analysis shows achieving the Indian government’s target of 37 GW of offshore wind by 2030 will bring substantial social and economic benefits to India as a whole, and Tamil Nadu in particular, unlocked through ongoing strategic support from government and industry.

Among the key takeaways from the OEP study are that Tamil Nadu has a significant opportunity to become a major hub for offshore wind manufacturing, leveraging its existing industrial base and skilled workforce, and that strategic investment across the offshore wind supply chain can unlock substantial economic growth, create thousands of jobs, and reduce carbon emissions.

The study also found that government commitment, financial incentives and supportive policies are crucial to attracting investment into India’s offshore wind sector and ensuring its long-term viability.

The aim of the study is to help mobilise key decision-makers – including the government, industry leaders and civil society – to help unlock India’s offshore wind potential, and specifically the potential of the Tamil Nadu region.

OEP said Tamil Nadu stands out with high wind speeds, shallow waters and proximity to industrial hubs that already represent 46% of India’s total capacity for manufacturing offshore wind turbines. 

“With the right government support, existing skills and supply chains can be leveraged to accelerate the development of a booming offshore wind manufacturing and services sector,” said the OEP.

OEP executive director Charles Ogilvie said, “This report shows there are tangible opportunities to supercharge the growth that Tamil Nadu has enjoyed in manufacturing, through a strategic focus on offshore wind.”

The report calls for strategic and substantial investments to boost confidence and capacity, offering five recommendations to unlock this opportunity in Tamil Nadu and across India as a whole, increasing investment, creating jobs and cutting carbon emissions.

Among the recommendations are that the government of India should establish a clear pipeline with sufficient volumes for offshore wind development to attract OEMs to invest in new production facilities within Tamil Nadu, and create financial incentives for investors to accelerate the offshore wind build out in Tamil Nadu, such as providing a guaranteed power offtake.

The report also recommends a clear institutional framework articulating guidelines, regulations, processes be set out, including responsibilities to make the opportunity more attractive to business and investors; a ‘strategic approach’ to publicly provided enabling infrastructure such as port expansions, transmission infrastructure, upland development; and there should be clear local content requirements which support local offshore wind development to make sure the full potential of a Tamil Nadu supply chain can be harnessed.