From milling grains and pumping water to generating electricity, wind turbines have come a long way. India is currently the world’s fourth-largest wind energy market, with over 50GW of large onshore installed capacity. 

However, the installed capacity of small wind turbines (SWTs) and small wind–solar hybrid systems in India is only about 3.3–5 MW. The World Institute of Sustainable Energy (WISE) estimates that select applications of small wind turbines in India could add up to nearly 83 gigawatts of capacity. So, what is holding small wind back?

Much of India’s SWT potential remains untapped due to limited awareness, affordability challenges and skill gaps. However, the evolving policy landscape may finally offer an opportunity to leverage small wind for powering lives and livelihoods in remote areas.

What are Small Wind Turbines?

Small wind turbines (SWTs) are compact wind energy systems designed to generate power close to the point of use. Unlike large wind turbines that operate in utility-scale wind farms, SWTs are generally smaller in capacity. They typically range from 500 watts to 10 kilowatts in India and can be installed in areas where land availability, terrain or infrastructure constraints prevent larger installations.

These turbines are versatile and can be deployed both on-grid and off-grid. In off-grid or decentralized systems, they can be used for both electricity generation and mechanical applications, such as water pumping or grain milling, making them particularly useful in agricultural and remote rural settings. SWTs have wide-ranging applications, including powering lighting, water purification systems, refrigeration units, cooking appliances and even telecom towers. In coastal and island regions, SWTs are often among the few viable options for sustainable power.

Why Small Wind Matters Now?

The proximity of SWTs to load centers — areas where energy demand exists — adds to their relevance, especially when integrated with other renewable technologies in hybrid systems.

Recent policy developments have further underscored the relevance of small-scale wind installations. In 2022, the Government of India released the Framework for Promotion of Decentralized Renewable Energy for Livelihood Applications. This policy encourages the adoption of decentralized renewable energy solutions that can directly support income-generating activities, such as renewable energy powered dryers, mills, cold storage units, looms, etc. Small wind turbines, due to their scalability, low operational voltage and hybridization potential, are well suited to this vision.

The government has also identified decentralized sources like small wind as part of its Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) targets, signaling that their role in the larger energy mix is gaining policy attention.

The Gap Between Potential and Reality

Despite its potential, the actual installed capacity of SWTs in India remains low. Currently, even the states leading in large-scale wind energy deployment, such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat, have very few small wind installations.

While studies have identified suitable locations in Tamil Nadu for SWT deployment based on wind potential and applications, Tamil Nadu has only about 257 kilowatts of installed small wind capacity, while Gujarat and Karnataka have 20 and 39 kilowatts, respectively. Most of these projects remain limited to pilot programs, with little effort made toward scale-up.

What’s Holding Small Wind Back?

Several barriers hamper the adoption of SWTs. The lack of detailed and focused wind resource mapping for small wind makes site identification difficult. Additionally, there's an absence of a robust service and maintenance network, particularly in remote regions, compounded by a shortage of trained technicians. Quality control and standardization issues further reduce reliability, as components often lack consistency and certification.

High upfront costs, driven by rising metal prices and import duties on components, also pose a major challenge. Meanwhile, the lack of financing models and incentives makes it hard for consumers and entrepreneurs to invest in small wind. Awareness remains low, and skepticism persists among both users and policymakers.

Training programs specific to SWTs are scarce, and existing wind energy training programs don’t cater to the unique needs of small systems. Certification is also a time-consuming and expensive process that limits innovation, especially from smaller players and startups.

Offshore Wind in India

Learn about India's offshore wind energy potential and how effective assembly, installation and commissioning practices can help leverage it, here.

A Path Forward: Unlocking Small Wind’s Potential

Despite these challenges, the path forward is clear. Granular wind resource mapping, especially in urban and semi-urban areas, can be taken up by public agencies, such as the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE).

Building a collaborative ecosystem of manufacturers, technicians and service providers can dramatically improve reliability. A consortium model could enable shared servicing networks and establish standard installation protocols.

On the technical front, the development of optimized rotor designs and robust data acquisition systems is essential. Innovation should be supported through R&D grants and collaborations between industry and academia.

Financing also needs a fresh approach. Lowering the cost of ownership by utilizing existing towers or structures, reducing GST and import duties, and creating new business models like micro-leasing or community ownership can make SWTs more accessible.

Raising Awareness and Enabling Policy Support

While tackling ecosystem challenges is necessary to make SWTs viable, their uptake requires supporting policy infrastructure. Government sensitization backed by data and evidence can help increase institutional support for SWTs. 

Public awareness campaigns, training programs and community workshops can help shift perceptions and foster user confidence. Including SWTs in rooftop solar schemes and net metering policies and offering clear guidelines for grid connectivity and hybrid use can also provide much-needed legitimacy.

Capacity-building: Skilling and Certification

Training programs, like NIWE’s Vayumitra initiative, can evolve to integrate SWT-specific modules. Vocational institutes and polytechnics can also offer certified programs to create a trained workforce for installation, operations and maintenance.

Certification processes can be streamlined using real-time performance data, while testing can be made accessible through mobile field-testing units and expanding lab infrastructure for wind technology.

Small wind turbines present a compelling solution for India’s clean energy transition, especially in off-grid and livelihood-linked applications. With thoughtful policy, increased awareness, technical innovation and ecosystem support, India can harness the big potential of small wind and bring sustainable, localized power solutions to those who need them the most.


Read WRI India’s research on the barriers and opportunities for enabling the uptake of small wind turbines.