Explanation:

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) have issued a tender for the construction of India’s first set of offshore wind projects off the coast of Tamil Nadu.

• Statement 1st is correct: Offshore wind energy is the energy generated from wind farms that are located over shallow open water, usually in the ocean, where there are higher wind speeds. Offshore wind farms must be at least 200 nautical miles from the shore and 50 feet deep in the ocean. According to the MNRE, India can generate 127 GW of offshore wind energy with its 7,600 km of coastline.

• Statement 2nd is incorrect: Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) is the Nodal Ministry, and the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) is the Nodal Agency for the development of Offshore Wind Energy in India. Government had also announced installing of 5GW of offshore wind installations by 2022 and 30 GW by 2030.

• Statement 3rd is correct: Offshore wind turbines are more efficient than onshore ones because they benefit from high and consistent wind speeds over water. It is a reliable source of baseload power, that is, it can generate electricity 24/7. It is due to the stronger and more consistent sea winds. Offshore wind farms address the issue of limited land availability in densely populated areas like India by utilizing water bodies for energy production.

Hence option 2nd is correct.