India - Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. shifts wind-power project from Maharashtra to Rajasthan state

India's Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. is shifting its wind-power project from Maharashtra to Rajasthan state following protests.

The state-run company plans to set up a 100 MW capacity wind power project. Its first project -- a pilot of 25 megawatt coming up in Maharashtra's Dhule district -- is being shifted to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan following protests by farmers, a company official said Monday.

The company, the official said, has, in principle, agreed to shift operations to Jaisalmer. It expects to receive clearance for the project by this week and have all resources in place to start operations in Jaisalmer.

The company has installed three wind generators with total capacity of 3.75 MW at Dhule. It plans to install the remaining 17 wind generators at Jaisalmer. HPCL's decision to diversify into a different energy source is promoted by the carbon credit and depreciation tax waivers that such companies get from the government for producing clean energy, The Business Line newspaper reported Monday.

The oil and gas major is also planning similar projects in other states and its board has approved another 25MW project and has invited tenders for it. India's total installed wind energy capacity at present stands at 7,850 MW compared with 6,270 MW in 2006 and 4,430 MW in 2005.