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Environmentalandsocio-economicimpactassessmentofoffshorewindenergyprojectsinIndia

DeepakSriramKrishnan,RushabhSoni,AkanshaSaklani,JonathanBaines,MichelineKhan,VaisakhSureshKumar

CONTENTS

Executivesummary2

Introduction............................5

Definingtheproblem6

Methodology...........................7

Needforaframeworkofenvironmentandsocio-economicimpact

assessment............................8

Learningsfromthestakeholder

consultationsandliteraturereview16

Recommedations18

AppendixA22

AppendixB27

AppendixC33

AppendixD36

References38

Acknowledgments43

Abouttheauthors.....................43

WorkingPaperscontainpreliminaryresearch,

analysis,findings,andrecommendations.They

arecirculatedtostimulatetimelydiscussionand

criticalfeedback,andtoinfluenceongoingdebateonemergingissues.

SuggestedCitation:Krishnan,DeepakSriram,RushabhSoni,AkanshaSaklani,JonathanBaines,MichelineKhan,VaisakhSureshKumar.2025.

“Environmentalandsocio-economicimpactassessmentofoffshorewindenergyprojectsin

India:Whystudyingexamplesofothercountriesandengagingwithaffectedcommunitiesare

important.”Washington,DC,USA:WorldResourcesInstitute.Available:https://doi.org/10.46830/wriwp.22.00157

HIGHLIGHTS

.Offshorewind(OSW)projectsareanewsourceofrenewableenergy

capacityinIndia’stransitiontowardcleanerenergy.Indiaaimstoachieve37GWfromOSWby2030.Tomeetthistarget,abetterunderstanding

ofthepotentialenvironmentalandsocio-economicimpactsofOSWprojectsisrequired.

.ThisstudysummarizestheimpactsofOSWprojects,highlightingthe

needforrobustenvironmentalandsocio-economicimpactassessments(ESIA).Whilerenewableenergyprojectsareexemptedfromthe

requirementsstipulatedunderIndia’s’EnvironmentalImpactAssessment(EIA)framework,thisstudyarguesforanESIAofOSWprojects.

.ThestudyalsoanalyzestheexistingframeworksoftheEIAandCoastalRegulatoryZone(CRZ)regulationsandtheirinterplaywithOSWpoliciestoilluminatethegapsandpossibleareasforfuturefocus.

.Currently,communitiesandprojectproponentshavedifferingopinionsonOSWprojectsowingtoinformationasymmetry.Thisleadsto

oversightsconcerningthediverserequirementsofcommunities,

hinderingthecreationofcomprehensivesolutionsthatareinclusiveandcomplywithpoliciesandregulations.

.Boththestateandcentralgovernmentsmustplayanactiveroleinresolvingtheseissuesbyfacilitatingcommunityaccesstorelevantinformationandenforcingenvironmentalandsocialsafeguards.

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EXECUTIVESUMMARY

Background

India’sNationalOffshoreWindEnergyPolicywas

draftedin2015.Thispolicywasfollowedbytechno-

commercialresearchtoassessthepotentialandinfrastructurerequirementsforthedevelopmentofoffshorewind(OSW)aspartoftheFacilitatingOffshoreWindinIndia(FOWIND)studycommissionedbytheNationalInstituteofWind

Energy(NIWE).Eightzonesoffthecoastofthestatesof

TamilNaduandGujarathavebeenidentifiedaspotential

sitesforOSWdevelopment(MNRE2023).1OSWhas

considerablebenefitscomparedwithotherrenewableenergyprojects,includingahighercapacityutilizationfactor,minimallandrequirement,andlowtransmissioncosts(Sarangi2022).

Inthelastcoupleofyears,effortstomeetIndia’sambitiousrenewableenergytargetshaveledtothedevelopmentof

multiplepolicyinstrumentsandstrategiestosupportOSWprojects(MNRE2023).TheMinistryofNewandRenewableEnergy’s(MNRE2023)StrategyforEstablishmentof

OffshoreWindEnergyProjectshighlightsbiddingmodels

andprocesses,theauctiontrajectory,typesofcentral

governmentsupport,theinterplaybetweenOSWandtariffs,andthewaysandmeansofevacuation.Asindicatedinthe

strategypaper,Indiahasplannedatotalof37GWofOSWcapacitytobeauctionedbyFY2029–30,whichisexpectedtobespreadacrossthezonesshowninFigureES-1.SECI

hasrecentlyreleasedatenderfor“RequestforSelection

(RfS)DocumentforAllocationofSea-bedLeaseRightsfor4000MWOffshoreWindPowerProjects”toleaseseabed

offthecoastofTamilNaduforOSWdevelopment(PIB

2024).ThistenderisforZoneBunderModelB,asindicatedinFigureES-1.

Inaddition,multiplepolicyinstrumentshaveaimedtoclarifyissuesrelatedtotheOSWsector;forexample,demarcatingtherulesandresponsibilitiesofvarious

stakeholders,seabedleasing,surveys,andpowerassessmentstudies.However,theseprovisionsdonotexplicitlycover

theenvironmentalandsocio-economicaspectsofOSW

development,despitestudiesbyFOWINDandtheFirst

OffshoreWindProjectofIndia(FOWPI)highlighting

theneedforsuchconsiderations(ERMandFOWPI2018;FOWIND2018a;2018b).Multipleglobalstudieshave

raisedconcernsaboutOSWdevelopment,includingdamagetoorlossofbiodiversityandcoastalandmarineecosystemsandthenegativeimpactoncommunitieslivingnearOSWsites(Galparsoroetal.2022).Consequently,countries

likeDenmark,Netherlands,andtheUnitedKingdom

havedevelopedcomprehensiveguidelinestoaddresstheseissues.Indiahasnotyetdevelopeddetailedguidelines

forOSWprojects,aswellasaframeworkforassessing

andmonitoringtheenvironmentalandsocio-economic

impactsoftheseprojectsacrosstheirlifecycle.Accordingto

Galparsoroetal.(2022)andSarangi(2022),thefollowing

environmentalandsocialaspectsmustbeaddressedtoharnessIndia’sOSWpotential.

Riskstoavian,coastal,andmarineecosystems.OSWinstallationscancauseavianfatalitiesandobstructions

tomigratoryroutesandimpactcoastalandmarine

ecosystems,withthemostsignificantimpacts(e.g.,noise)

occurringduringtheconstructionandoperationphases,

therebychangingthenaturalbehavioroffish,mammals,

andinvertebrates.Theseimpactsarearesultofinadequate

protectionduringsandremoval(CentreofExcellencefor

OffshoreWindandRenewableEnergy2022b,2022c),whilelayingcables(Prakash2023),andsafeguardingmangroves

(Elizabeth2022).Additionally,locationscouldhave

coralreefs,asinthesitesinTamilNaduandtheGulfof

Mannar,wherethebiospherereserveislikelytobeaffected(Sarkar2022).

Riskstothelivelihoodsofcoastalcommunities.AspertheestablishedsafetyandproceduralprotocolsofOSWprojects,someareaswillbeoff-limitsforfishingforthecommunitiesthattraditionallydependontheseareasfortheirlivelihoods(Sarangi2022).GiventhatthecurrentOSWzonesidentifiedinIndiaarealsoarichresourceoffishingforcommunities,

therecouldbepotentialimplicationsoncethedevelopmentworkfortheseprojectsbegins.Otheractivities,suchas

aquacultureandseasaltextraction,couldalsobeimpacted,affectingcommunitylivelihoods.

Riskstoexistinginfrastructure.BoththecoastsinTamil

NaduandGujarathavesmallportsthatcurrentlymeetlocalneedsforfishingandcommercialactivities(Sarkar2022).

TheproposedOSWprojectscouldmeanincreasedactivityandlarge-scalechangestotheexistinginfrastructure.The

portroutesoffishingvehiclesmayalsochangeowingtotheactivitiesofOSWprojects.Severaltradeunionsassociated

withfishingcommunitiesinTamilNaduhavealreadyraisedtheseconcerns(Elizabeth2022).ActivityrelatedtoOSW

projectswillalsoimpactthesensitivenaturalecosystemsthatexistintheregion.

India’scurrentpoliciesrelatedtotheassessmentimpacts

ofinfrastructureprojectsnearcoastalareasarethe

EnvironmentalImpactNotification,2006,andtheCoastalRegulatoryZoneNotification,2019,bothissuedunder

theEnvironmentProtectionAct,1986.Otherpermitsand

licensesnecessaryforinfrastructureprojectsincludeconsentissuedbytheCentralPollutionControlBoard,theHazardousWasteAuthorizationgrantedbythePollutionControlBoard,andlaborlicensesissuedbytheMinistryofLabourand

Employment(FOWPI2018).

Environmentalandsocio-economicimpactassessmentofoffshorewindenergyprojectsinIndia

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FigureES-1|IndicativelocationandcapacityofOSWprojectsaccordingtotheMinistryofNewandRenewableEnergy’sStrategyforEstablishmentofOffshoreWindEnergyProjects

ModelA

OffshoreWind

SitesProposedto

bedevelopedoffthecoast

ofTamilNadu

OffshoreWindSitesProposedtobedevelopedoffthecoast

ofGujarat

Note:OtherOSWsitesunderModelsBandChavebeensuggestedoffthecoastofGujaratandTamilNadu;however,thefigureshowsareasforwhichlocationshavebeenconfirmedbytheMNREinitsStrategyforEstablishmentofOffshoreWindEnergyProjects.

Source:MNRE(2023,10–17).

Aboutthisworkingpaper

AlthoughthereiscurrentlynoinstalledOSWcapacity

inIndia,anincreaseinthepaceofprojectawardsand

deploymentisexpected.WithmajortargetsforOSW

deploymentandkeepingwithIndia’sNationallyDeterminedContributioncommitmentsfor2030,2theimplicationsof

theexpansionofOSWprojectsforcoastalcommunitiesandtheenvironmentmustbeconsidered.Therefore,astrategytomitigateanypotentialadverseexternalitiesthatmayarisefromOSWprojectsremainswarranted.

OSWprojectshaveenvironmentalandsocio-economic

impactsovertheirentirelifecycle,fromtheextractionof

mineralsforproductiontotherecyclingofwaste,althoughtheirlife-cycleemissionsareconsiderablylowerthanthat

offossilfuelprojects.Thispaperspecificallyfocusesonthe

environmentalandsocio-economicaspectsofOSWprojects,fromplanninganddeploymenttothedecommissioningstage.

Thispaperaimstounderstandthecurrentpolicy

landscapeinIndiaanditsroleinaddressingthenegativeenvironmentalandsocio-economicimpactsofOSW

projects.Italsoaimstounderstandtheroleoflocal

communitiesinsafeguardingenvironmentalandsocialfactors

andtheequitablesharingofprojectcostsandbenefits.The

paperemphasizestheneedforacomprehensiveassessment

ofenvironmentalandsocio-economicimpacts(ESIA),whichincludesanequalfocusontheenvironmentalandsocio-

economicimpactsofOSWprojects.

Tounderstandtheenvironmentalandsocio-economic

impactsofOSWprojects,weexaminedliteraturepublishedinacademicjournalsandstakeholderexperiencesof

implementingvariousOSWandotheroffshoreprojects.

AsIndiaisgearingupforOSWdevelopment,wereviewed

evidencefromothersectorsinoffshoreorcoastalareas.We

alsoassessedexistingpoliciesrelatedtotheOSWsector,as

wellasESIAregulationsthatmayapplytothissector.We

discussthisindetailinthemaintext,butinsummary,existingresearchonglobaloffshoreprojectsdoesnotsufficiently

considertheintricatechallengesfacedbyIndiancommunities.

Inaddition,thisworkingpapershareslearningsfrom

consultationsconductedviasemi-structuredinterviewswithIndianandinternationalstakeholders.Indian

stakeholders,particularlyCSOsandtradeassociations

workingwithlocalcommunities,helpedustounderstandtheperspectivesonthepotentialenvironmentaland

socio-economicimpactsofOSWprojects.International

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stakeholders,particularlythosefromcountrieswhereOSW

projectshavebeenimplementedandarealreadyexperiencingeffects,helpedustounderstandthenuancessurrounding

theseimpactsandthevaluablelessonsthatcanbelearned

fromthem.Thispaperdoesnotincludelearningsfrom

consultationswithOSWdevelopersastheOSWecosystemisstilldevelopinginIndia,andwedidnotreceivearesponsefromglobalOSWdevelopersduringtheconsultationprocess.

Moreover,thispaperdoesnotrepresentadeep-divecasestudyintohowpastESIAshavebeenconducted.

Thefindingspresentedinthispaperwillbeusefulforthe

MinistryofEnvironment,ForestandClimateChangeand

respectivestateenvironmentandenergydepartments;the

MNREandNIWE,whicharethenodalagenciesforOSWdevelopmentinIndia;andprojectdeveloperswhoarelikelytoparticipateinOSWauctions.

Keyfindings

Indiahasanopportunitytolearnfromtheexperiencesofothercountriesregardingtheenvironmentalandsocio-economicimpactsofOSWprojects.Arichrepositoryofknowledgeontheseimpactscanbefoundamongcoastal

communitiesandtheNGOsthatworkwiththem.

Thefindingsfromtheliteraturereviewandstakeholderconsultationsconductedaspartofthisstudyare

summarizedbelow.Thesefindingsarecomprehensivelydiscussedinthesubsequentsections.

.TheimpactassessmentandmonitoringofOSW

projectsshowthattheyhavebothpositiveand

negativeenvironmentalandsocio-economicimpacts.

Construction,operation,andmaintenanceharm

themarineandsurroundingecosystemsandimpact

livelihoods;however,OSWprojectsmayalsofunction

asaconservationareaformarineorganisms.Theoverall

benefitsandcostsareunclearanddependonlocalcontexts,whichnecessitatesmorebespokeanddetailedassessments.

ThisisreinforcedbytheMaritimeSpatialPlanning

ReportsforGujaratandTamilNadu,whichhighlightthebroadenvironmentalandsocialconcernsofprojectsin

identifiedOSWzones(CentreofExcellenceforOffshoreWindandRenewableEnergy2022b,2022c).Thesereportsalsoemphasizetheneedfordetailedassessmentsofeach

sitebeforeprojectdevelopment.

.Stakeholderconversationsinglobalprojectsindicatedthatmostconcernsfromtheirperceivedconsequences.

Theseconcernsareexacerbatedbyalackofdataregardingtheprojectsandtheirexecution.OSWprojectscould

offercommunitiesmultiplepotentialbenefits;however,

thesebenefitsneedtobeproperlydocumentedand

communicatedwithinlocalcontexts,avoidingfurthernegativeviewsabouttheproject.

.Adeepunderstandingofcommunityneedsandthe

impactsonecosystemsthatwillpotentiallybeaffectedbyOSWprojectsisessential.LearningsfromprojectsintheNetherlands,Japan,Taiwan,andtheUnitedKingdomhighlighttheimportanceofprocesseslikeESIAs.

.ProjectdecommissioningandsiterestorationforleasedseabedareregulatedunderIndia’sOSWpolicyandleaserulesandarepartofEIAclearancebeforeconstructionbegins.Thesepoliciesalsoregulateaspectsrelatedto

reuse,recycling,andresponsibledisposalofallmaterials;

however,guidelinesontheimplementationofthese

processesmustbeclarifiedfromtheprojectinitiationstage.Globally,thereuseandrecyclingindustries,particularly

thosedealingwithwindturbinebladesandpermanentmagnets,remainintheearlystagesofdevelopment

(Bloomberg2024;Ormerodetal.2023).

Recommendations

Basedontheabovelearnings,thisstudypresentsthefollowingrecommendations:

.AdoptinganinclusiveESIAapproachisimportant

toeffectivelyassessandavoid,offset,andmitigate

concernsrelatedtoOSWdevelopment.Todevelopa

comprehensiveESIAapproach,internationalstandardscouldbestudied,andIndianregulationscouldadoptandadaptthoserelevanttotheIndiancontext.Eventuallytheaimshouldbetoharmonizetheapproachacrossvariousorganizations.ESIAapproachesshouldbeinclusive

andinvolvetheparticipationoflocalcommunitiesand

stakeholdersinimplementingprotectivemeasuresand

resolvingchallenges.Abalancebetweenenvironmentalandsocio-economicimpactsandOSWdevelopmentwillfacilitatedevelopmentinIndia.

.ConsideringIndia’sambitioustargetsfor2030,the

2015OSWpolicymustbeupdatedtoalignwith

marketdevelopmentsandbestpractices,forexample,byestablishingclearapprovalandpermitprocesses(atthecentralandstatelevels)andcertaintyontimelines.

ThiswillhelpstakeholderstoplanforthedeploymentofOSWwhileconsideringtheenvironmentalandsocio-

economicimpacts.State-specificpoliciesandroadmaps

aligningwiththeseimpactsmustbedevelopedtoprovidefurtherclarityonclearances,incentives,andinfrastructure,

aswellasvisibilityoncapacitytargetsandpowerofftakearrangements.

Environmentalandsocio-economicimpactassessmentofoffshorewindenergyprojectsinIndia

.TheinitialsetofOSWprojects(includingthe

associatedevacuationsystem)shouldbecategorized

andevaluatedunderCategoryA3oftheMinistryof

Environment,ForestandClimateChange(MoEFCC)EIAclassification.Thisofferstwobenefits:ensuring

acomprehensivereviewatboththestateandcentralgovernmentlevelsandbuildingthecapacitiesofstategovernmentagenciesforfutureprojects.

.FOWPIreportshavehighlightedthatIndianeedsto

amenditsEIANotificationtoestablishitsapplicabilitytotheOSWsector,developguidanceforEIAs,

andfacilitatetheclearanceofprojectsinlinewith

internationalbestpractices(FOWPI2018).These

reportsshouldbestudiedindetail.Resourcesdevelopedbynon-governmentalorganizations,suchasneeds

assessmentframeworks,couldhelpassesstheneedsof

fishingandothercoastalcommunities.Governmentsandtheprivatesectormayusetheseframeworkstoidentifycommunityneeds,gapsincurrentmethods,andrequiredchangesinapproach.

.Otherresources,suchasneedsassessmentframeworks,couldhelpassesstheneedsoffishingandothercoastal

communities.Governmentsandtheprivatesectormay

usetheseframeworkstoidentifycommunityneeds,gapsincurrentmethods,andrequiredchangesinapproach.

.Decommissioningandsiterestoration4shouldbepart

oftheOSWplanningprocessandenvironmentaland

socialclearances.Thisprocess,includingapproachesto

reuse,recycling,andtheresponsibledisposalofwaste,

necessitatescollaborationwiththereuseandrecycling

industries.Policiesshouldalsobeformulatedtoincentivizeacirculareconomyinthewindsector.

ESIAapproachesforeachOSWprojectwilldifferbasedonthelocalcontext.Therefore,policymakers,projectdevel-opers,localstakeholders,andotherrelevantpartiesneedtoworktogethertointegratebespoke,localizedenvironmentalandsocialconsiderationsduringprojectdesign,auctions,

anddevelopment.

INTRODUCTION

Learningsfromoffshorewindenergyinstallations

Summaryofglobaloffshorewinddevelopment

Technologicaladvancementshaveenabledthedeploymentofwindturbinesinoffshoreareas.Offshorewind(OSW)power,nowwidelyrecognizedasaprovenandreliablesourceof

renewableenergy,isexpectedtoundergosignificantexpansioninthecomingyears.Forexample,theaveragecapacity

utilizationfactorfromOSWprojectsinEnglandandWalesin2022andinScotlandfrom2018–22was38percent(TheCrownEstate2023).

Thehigherwindspeedsatoffshorelocationsandthelarger

sizeofOSWturbines,resultingfromtechnologicalinnovationandlowerspaceconstraints,allowthemtogeneratemore

electricitythanonshoreturbines(onanormalizedperMWbasis).5ThecapacityofOSWturbinesisexpectedtoincrease.TheChinaStateShipbuildingCorporationhasdevelopedawindturbinewithan18MWpeakcapacity(Proctor2023).

OSWrepresentsacriticalcomponentinthediverse

portfolioofrenewableelectricitygenerationtechnologies

thatcontributetothesustainable,low-carbondevelopment

ofeconomies.From2000–18,installedcapacityincreasedby

approximately30percentperyear,standingat40GWin2020andat64.3GWcurrently.ProjectionsshowthatOSWenergycapacitycouldreachupto562GWby2040(IEA2019;

McKinsey2022).

OSWisexpectedtogreatlyfacilitatethefutureenergy

transition;however,ithassomesocialandenvironmental

impacts.Themostseverenegativeenvironmentalimpacts

occurduringtheconstructionofOSWfarms,which

involvesclearingtheseabed,piling,anddrillingforturbinefoundations,substations,andcables.Therearerelativelyfewnegativeimpactsduringtheoperationalphase(Kaldellis

etal.2016).TheliteraturesuggeststhatmanyOSW

projectsoverestimatethelocalsocio-economicimpacts,

particularlyattheconstructionstage,butunderestimatetheeffectsofotherelementsoftheOSWlifecycleduringthe

operationandmanagementstages(Glassonetal.2020).Ourliteraturereviewalsoindicatesthatthelocalsocio-economicimpactsofOSWprojectsreceivelessattentionthantheir

environmentalimpacts.

OffshorewinddevelopmentinIndia

Indiahasagoalofnetzerofor2070,aswellasNationally

DeterminedContributiontargetsfor2030(MNRE2022a).

.Fiftypercentofthecumulativeelectricpowerinstalledcapacitycomesfromnon-fossilfuelenergy.

.Atotalof500GWofrenewable-energy-basedelectricityinstalledcapacityby2030.

Thesetargetsprovideanopportunitytodiversifytheextantrenewableenergymixanddrivethecleanenergytransitionforward.OSWisexpectedtoplayakeyroleinIndia’senergytransition,withthegoalofauctioning37GWofcapacityby2030(MNRE2023).

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Outofthe195GWoftechnicalpotentialforOSWenergywithinIndia’sexclusiveeconomiczone,112GWisforfixed-platform,and83GWisforfloating-platform6OSW(WorldBank2019).AsperinitialassessmentsbytheNIWE,zonesoffthecoastofGujaratandTamilNaduwithapotentialof36GWand35GW,respectively,havebeenidentifiedforthefirstphaseofOSWdeploymentinIndia(MNREn.d.).

TheNationalOffshoreWindEnergyPolicy,2015,setcapacitytargetsof5GWby2022and30GWby2030(MNRE

2015);however,asofJune2024,therehavebeennocapacityadditions.Toachievethe2030target,thereisaneedfor

clearapprovalandpermitprocessesthatprovidecertaintyontimelinesandtherolesandresponsibilitiesofvariousbodies.ThegovernanceoftheOSWsectoriscomplex,withmultipleresponsibilitiesoverlappingamongdifferentdepartments;forexample,theMinistryofEnvironment,ForestandClimateChange(MoEFCC);theStateEnvironmentDepartment;

andtheMinistryofNewandRenewableEnergy(MNRE)

areallresponsibleforassessingenvironmentalandsocio-

economicimpacts.ElectricityisaconcurrentsubjectundertheConstitutionofIndia;thus,boththecentralandstate

governmentscanframeregulationsgoverningtheOSW

sector.EnvironmentalImpactAssessment(EIA)and

CoastalRegulationZone(CRZ)regulations,thetwopolicyinstrumentsregulatingenvironmentalandsocialimpacts,arenotifiedbythecentralgovernment;however,responsibilityfortheirimplementationisdistributedbetweencentralandstateauthorities.

Afterbeingdormantforclosetoadecade,theIndianOSWsectoriswitnessingrenewedactivityowingtoprojectcostsfallingglobally(thoughtheycurrentlyfaceafewchallenges;WorldEconomicForum2023)andtheMNREunveiling

itsroadmapforinstalling30GWby2030(PIB2018).TheMNREStrategyPaper,releasedin2023,outlinesaplanforannualcapacityadditions(MNRE2023)fromFY2023–24,reachingupto37GWbyFY2029–30.TheMNREhas

alsosuggestedsupportingdevelopersbymandatingthe

CentralTransmissionUtilitytosetuptheevacuationand

transmissioninfrastructurefromtheoffshoreplatformto

onshoresubstationsupuntil2030.TheNationalOffshore

WindEnergyPolicyleavestheresponsibilityofsecuring

Stage-II(NOC)clearancesfromministriesanddepartmentstodevelopersandwillneedaccesstothedatacollectedby

theNIWEduringStage-Iclearance.Thetenderforthe

AllocationofSea-BedLeaseRightsfor4000MWOffshoreWindPowerProjectswasissuedbytheSolarEnergy

CorporationofIndiainFebruary2024,markingthestartofthedevelopmentoftheOSWprojectinIndia(PIB2024).

DEFININGTHEPROBLEM

ThispaperdiscussesmultipleaspectsrelatedtotheimpactsofOSW,aimingtohighlightthefollowing:

.Currentpoliciesandregulationssurroundingthe

environmentalandsocio-economicaspectsofOSWprojectsandtheirroleinassessingpotentialimpacts.

.Majorenvironmentalandsocio-economicconcernsrelatedtoOSWprojectsworldwideandpotentialconcernsforIndia.

.Theroleofcurrentpoliciesandregulationsinassessingandaddressingtheseconcerns.

.Anapproachforensuringtheequitablesharingofthe

costsandbenefitsoftheOSWsectoracrossstakeholders.Thepaperfocusesontheroleofcommunitiesin

addressingsomeoftheconcernsandparticipatinginthesector’sresponsibledevelopment,aswellasthecommunitybenefitsofferedbyOSWprojects.

Thepaperaimstoreiteratetheconsiderationsfor

environmentalandsocio-economicimpactassessment(ESIA)forOSWprojectsinIndia.Also,thesectormustenable

equitablesharingofbenefitsandcostsforvariousstakeholderstoefficientlytapintoIndia’sOSWpotential.Forthispurpose,itexploresthefollowingresearchquestions:

.HowcanthenegativeenvironmentalandsocialimpactsofOSWbereducedusingpolicyandregulatoryinstrumentsandframeworks?

.WhataretheenvironmentalandsocialconcernsarisingfromOSWorotheroffshoreprojects?

.HowcanpolicyinstrumentshelpdesigntheprocessestobefollowedforimplementingOSWprojectswhileminimizingtheirnegativeimpactsoncommunitiesandtheenvironment?

.Whatglobalbestpracticesandprocessescanbecombinedwithlocalconsiderationsfor

thedevelopmentofIndia’sOSWsectortobenefitcommunities?

.HowcancommunitiesbeenabledtoparticipateinthedevelopmentofOSWprojectswhilesafeguardingtheenvironmentandlocallivelihoods?

.Whatroledocommunitiesplayinsafeguardingtheenvironmentfromthenegativeimpacts

ofOSWprojects?

.HowdoescommunityparticipationbenefitOSWdevelopmentandtheequitablesharingofcostsandbenefitsamongallstakeholders?

Environmentalandsocio-economicimpactassessmentofoffshorewindenergyprojectsinIndia

.WhatrolesdolocalcommunityknowledgeandskillsplayinOSWdevelopment?

.HowcanOSWprojectsprovideopportunitiesfor

skilldevelopmentandsocio-economicdevelopmentoflocalcommunities?

METHODOLOGY

Weadoptedamixed-methodsapproachcomprisinga

literaturereviewandstakeholderconsultationstounderstandtheaspectsrelatedtothisstudy.AsIndiadoesnotcurrentlyhaveanyOSWprojectsdeployedandisgainingexperienceinmanyaspects,we