India’s ambitious green energy initiative, which aims to boost wind power capacity, is having unintended consequences for local desert communities. As the country accelerates its transition to renewable energy, large-scale wind farms are being established in arid regions traditionally inhabited by desert herders.
These herders, who have relied on the land for generations, are facing significant disruptions. The expansion of wind farms is not only encroaching on their grazing lands but also affecting their traditional way of life. The displacement caused by these projects has led to tensions between the herding communities and energy developers.
Local leaders and activists are calling for greater consideration of the impact on indigenous populations and urging the government to address the displacement issues while pursuing its green energy goals. The situation highlights the need for balanced development that considers both environmental benefits and the rights of local communities.
The deserts around Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan are dotted with hundreds of turbines, one of India’s largest onshore wind farms. As reported, Rajasthan is capable of providing five gigawatts (GW) of wind power to the grid, according to government figures.
Many turbines are owned by Indian conglomerates, including the Adani Group and Suzlon.
India aims to boost non-fossil fuel power capacity to 500 GW by 2030 and is committed to achieving a net-zero-emissions economy by 2070 – two decades after most of the industrialised West.
Renewable energy plants are being built at breakneck speed, rising from 76 GW to 203 GW in the past decade, according to government figures. Around a quarter of that is from the wind.
It highlights the difficult challenge India faces as the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, striving to expand its non-fossil fuel capacity to mitigate the escalating impacts of climate change.