For India to achieve its potential in renewable energy, the government needs to play a vital role in reviving the financial health of the state distribution companies, notes Kailash Tarachandani, chief executive officer, Inox Wind. Of course, there are several other factors too. Considering that sizeable equity is expected to come into the sector from international investors, it is important that the tax structure related to the repatriation of dividends to investing countries is made more friendly and consistent, he says.
Inox Wind works on two different models – turnkey solutions, in which the company takes care of all aspects of project development from concept to commissioning; and the equipment supply model, in which Inox supplies wind turbine generators (WTGs) and other associated equipment to customers for erection at sites owned by them. “We have moved from 93 metre to 100 metre rotor diameters and are now moving towards 113 metre diameters and 120 metre hub heights from the earlier 80 metres and 92 metres. Inox’s WTGs are designed for low wind speed sites and this has helped us gain a lot of market share,” he says. Talking about his expectations from the National Wind Energy Mission, Tarachandani says that there is a need for a long-term, stable policy framework covering all aspects of the industry including land allocation, tariff fixation, incentives, transmission infrastructure planning and managing intermittency.
An electrical engineer from IIT Kanpur, Tarachandani also has an MBA from INSEAD, France. During his career of 22 years, he has worked with companies like Kenersys, Vestas Wind Systems, Alstom Power, and Larsen & Toubro. He specialises in strategy management, global project execution and business development. Tarachandani says it gives him real satisfaction to see renewable energy projects coming up, often in remote areas. The thought that he is helping create infrastructure and jobs for the local people and contributing to environmental protection is rewarding. At Inox, his journey has been challenging yet satisfying. “Inox is a fastpaced and growing company and the renewable sector too is booming. Given the government’s thrust on renewables, work has become even more interesting,” he says. Describing his management style, he says, “I believe in establishing open discussion for decision-making, besides recognising the skills of key members and utilising their strengths to the benefit of the team.”