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NEW DELHI : As the government is giving a major focus on renewable energy, a report by Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) on Thursday said that India can create over a million jobs through greater emphasis on wind energy.
"India could save an extra 229 million metric tons of CO2e over the lifetime of a wind farm - around 25 years - while also creating more than a million green jobs," said the report titled 'Capturing Green Recovery Opportunities from Wind Power in Developing Economies'.
The report which focused on five countries - Brazil, India, Mexico, the Philippines and South Africa - each of which face particular challenges due to Covid-19, but which have significant untapped wind energy resource that could unlock rapid economic growth under green recovery measures.
The total upside for green recovery measures across the five countries examined in the report include 2.23 million full-time equivalent jobs over a 25-year lifetime of wind projects, and nearly 20 GW of additional wind power installations - enough to power roughly 25 million homes each year from 2026 onward, and potentially save the equivalent of 714 million metric tons of CO2e emissions over wind farm lifetimes.
The report shows the importance of clear vision and policy commitment to mobilise private investment in wind energy, and provides tailored policy and regulatory recommendations for each country.
Ben Backwell, GWEC CEO, said: “The transition to clean energy is a key priority for Indonesia’s G20 presidency this year, and this report shows the scale of opportunities at stake: a transformed world delivering jobs for people, value for economies and zero emissions, helping us all reach net zero.
The report recommended policy commitments, investment in expansion of grid and transmission infrastructure, as well as simplifying the permitting schemes for renewable energy projects.
"The time for action is now, and governments need to use forums such as the G20 to turn promises, targets and ambitions into decisive interventions that provide the foundations for local communities and the private sector to make the energy transition a reality," Backwell said.
Mike Blanch, Associate Director, BVGA Associates, said: “Our work with GWEC shows how wind energy can deliver a green economic recovery and cheap energy. The report includes recommendations on how to strengthen policy, transmission and permitting to create jobs and establish local supply chains."
The report was prepared in prepared GWEC in association with BVGA Associates.
Brazil could create an extra 575,000 jobs over wind farm lifetimes if it opted for a green recovery over a 'business-as-usual' approach. The country could add billions of gross value to the economy and power millions more homes with clean energy using this approach, all while seeing a more than 40% reduction in carbon emissions over that time.
"Mexico could more than double its projected carbon emissions equivalent saved by replacing fossil fuel generation if it pursued a green recovery approach for wind energy. This could be transformative, generating nearly one-quarter of a million new jobs and adding $3.5 billion in gross value to the economy, over a wind farms lifetime," it said.
Further, in South Africa the coal-to-clean journey - kickstarted with an $8.5bn financing package agreed at COP26 - could deliver an extra 250,000 jobs and more than $10 billion gross value added to the economy over 25 years if an ambitious green recovery is pursued. This would also deliver enormous decreases in carbon emissions equivalent, as well as save more than 50 million litre of water annually from 2026.
The Philippines could see more than $1.1 billion of gross value added to the economy, with more than 1,650 MW of wind installations completed under a more ambitious approach. Those installations would support a 70% increase in jobs as well as saving more than 65 million metric tons of carbon emissions equivalent, the report said.
