2025印度海上风电项目的环境及社会经济影响评估报告

Environmental and socio-economic impact assessmentof offshore wind energy projects in India Deepak Sriram Krishnan, Rushabh Soni, Akansha Saklani, Jonathan Baines, Micheline Khan, Vaisakh Suresh Kumar HIGHLIGHTS▪ CONTENTS Offshore wind (OSW) projects are a new source of renewable energycapacity in India’s transition toward cleaner energy. India aims to achieve37 GW from OSW by 2030. To meet this target, a better understandingof the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of OSWprojects is required.▪ Executive summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Defining the problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Methodology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Need for a framework of environmentand socio-economic impactassessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Learnings from the stakeholderconsultations and literature review. . . .16Recommedations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Appendix A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Appendix B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Appendix C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33Appendix D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43About the authors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 This study summarizes the impacts of OSW projects, highlighting theneed for robust environmental and socio-economic impact assessments(ESIA). While renewable energy projects are exempted from therequirements stipulated under India’s’ Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) framework, this study argues for an ESIA of OSW projects.▪ The study also analyzes the existing frameworks of the EIA and CoastalRegulatory Zone (CRZ) regulations and their interplay with OSW policiesto illuminate the gaps and possible areas for future focus.▪ Currently, communities and project proponents have differing opinionson OSW projects owing to information asymmetry. This leads tooversights concerning the diverse requirements of communities,hindering the creation of comprehensive solutions that are inclusive andcomply with policies and regulations.▪ Both the state and central governments must play an active role inresolving these issues by facilitating community access to relevantinformation and enforcing environmental and social safeguards. Working Papers contain preliminary research,analysis, findings, and recommendations. Theyare circulated to stimulate timely discussion andcritical feedback, and to influence ongoing debate onemerging issues. Suggested Citation:Krishnan, Deepak Sriram,Rushabh Soni, Akansha Saklani, Jonathan Baines,Micheline Khan, Vaisakh Suresh Kumar. 2025.“Environmental and socio-economic impactassessment of offshore wind energy projects inIndia:Why studying examples of other countriesand engaging with affected communities areimportant.”Washington, DC, USA: WorldResources Institute. Available:https://doi.org/10.46830/wriwp.22.00157 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY and monitoring the environmental and socio-economicimpacts of these projects across their life cycle.According toGalparsoro et al. (2022) and Sarangi (2022), the followingenvironmental and social aspects must be addressed to harnessIndia’s OSW potential. Background India’s National Offshore Wind Energy Policy was drafted in 2015.This policy was followed by techno-commercial research to assess the potential and infrastructurerequirements for the development of offshore wind (OSW) aspart of the Facilitating Offshore Wind in India (FOWIND)study commissioned by the National Institute of WindEnergy (NIWE). Eight zones off the coast of the states ofTamil Nadu and Gujarat have been identified as potentialsites for OSW development (MNRE 2023).1OSW hasconsiderable benefits compared with other renewable energyprojects, including a higher capacity utilization factor, minimalland requirement, and low transmission costs (Sarangi 2022). Risks to avian, coastal, and marine ecosystems.OSWinstallations can cause avian fatalities and obstructionsto migratory routes and impact coastal and marineecosystems, with the most significant impacts (e.g., noise)occurring during the construction and operation phases,thereby changing the natural behavior of fish, mammals,and invertebrates. These impacts are a result of inadequateprotection during sand removal (Centre of Excellence forOffshore Wind and Renewable Energy 2022b, 2022c), whilelaying cables (Prakash 2023), and safeguarding mangroves(Elizabeth 2022). Additionally, locations could havecoral reefs, as in the sites in Tamil Nadu and the Gulf ofMannar, where the biosphere reserve is likely to be affected(Sarkar 2022). In the last couple of years, efforts to meet India’s ambitiousrenewable energy targets have led to the development ofmultiple policy instruments and strategies to support