The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has notified the Offshore Wind Energy Lease Rules, 2023.
With regard to grant of lease, the central government has the option to grant leases for offshore areas located within the exclusive economic zone for projects related to offshore wind energy and offshore wind transmission. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will designate the offshore region for the lease through an evaluation of wind resource and subsequent marine spatial planning. The party leasing the area must engage in an agreement with the MNRE for the lease grant and the establishment of wind energy capacity, in accordance with the guidelines provided by the government of India. The specific area under the lease will be defined, and the lease itself will remain valid for three years, allowing for resource measurement and related study or survey activities. If necessary, it can be extended for an additional two years with valid reasons. Following the completion of this five-year term, the lease concludes, necessitating lessees to submit their data to the National Institute of Wind Energy unless they initiate the establishment of wind energy capacity. The lease will be prolonged to thirty-five years for the construction and operation of the offshore wind energy project. Further extensions beyond this period will be considered on a case-by-case basis, contingent upon the functional viability and safety of the project. Typically, the leased area will range from twenty-five square kms to five hundred square kms, with potential variations based on the project’s size.
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