Which of the following States of India have the higher opportunities for the development of wind power?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — C, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Wind-power potential depends on strong, steady winds, which India gets along its western and southern coasts and over the peninsular passes. Tamil Nadu (the Palghat gap and the Muppandal region near Kanyakumari) and Gujarat (the Kutch and Saurashtra coasts) both have powerful monsoon and coastal wind regimes and are consistently among the country's leaders in installed wind capacity. So this is the pair with the higher opportunities for wind-power development.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) The inland northern plains have weak, low-velocity winds and little wind-power potential; both States rank low in wind capacity.  (b) Located in the sheltered eastern interior with poor wind regimes — negligible wind-power potential.  (d) Rajasthan does have real wind potential (Jaisalmer), but Odisha's is limited, so the pair is weaker than Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, which are both strong wind States.

Concept: Wind energy is a renewable resource concentrated where wind speeds are high and consistent — India's western coast (Gujarat, Maharashtra), the peninsular passes and the southern tip (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka), and parts of the arid west (Rajasthan). Coastal and hill-gap locations channel monsoon and sea winds, giving the best generation. Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have long led India's installed wind capacity.

State PCS 2020 Q65 — Geography PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2020 Q65 — Geography PYQ with Answer