Wind Energy Development in South Asia: Status, Potential and Policies

Energy plays an important role in the economic development of a country. Due to huge population, the gap between energy demand and supply has been increased among most South Asian countries including Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, which is restricting the economic growth of this region. Fossil fuels are the main source of power generation in these countries which are not only exhaustible but also very expensive. South Asian region is rich in renewable energy sources especially wind energy. With careful planning, the region can utilize this natural asset to fulfill the energy gap and avoid the energy dilemma in the future. This paper aims to explore low carbon development by analyzing status, potential and government policies for the development of wind energy in this region. We have compared the wind energy potential between Pakistan, India and Bangladesh in the study. Current and updated wind energy status in these three countries has been provided. And finally, the article has described the renewable energy policies among these countries in detail.