The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Good scope for getting power from wind energy

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Monday, Jun 09, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Good scope for getting power from wind energy

K. Raju

Thanks to powerful winds blowing from Western Ghats

First wind power generating unit to come up in Andipatti block
Readings of wind speed are taken at 10 meters above the ground level

THENI: Strong and highly powerful winds from Western Ghats that bring sufficient rain every year and scale down mercury levels considerably would soon put the district on the map of renewable energy, thanks to successful initial trials on power generation using wind mills.

While the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board utilised the water that originated from the Western Ghats for power generation, private people find the prospects of generating power from strong winds blowing from the hill that borders Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Encouraged by the study on wind speed and on the basis of data at several places, the commissioning of first wind power generating unit is being done at a few kilometres away from Gandamanur in Andipatti block, 10 km away from Theni town. Two more units would also come up in the same region. Initial results were very promising, said wind monitoring officials.

Meanwhile, field data collection was being done at, Uthamapalayam, Dharmapuri in Theni block and Rasingapuram and Silamalai, Sillamarathupatti villages in Bodi block to identity suitable sites for establishing wind power stations.

Wind power monitoring stations have been installed in these areas to collect all necessary data including wind speed and peak and low period of wind flow in a year.

Normally, readings of wind speed were taken at a height of 10 meters above the ground level.

The area, altitude and monthly wind speed would be analysed before setting up of wind energy power generating unit, they added.

Private participation

Already, private companies have sought permission from the district administration to set up similar monitoring stations at Highwayvys on Megamalai hills also. Some private companies in Kerala had already installed units within Kerala border near Ramakkalmettu area in Cumbum.

The efforts made on renewable energy were very encouraging.

This would help the district to rope in more people to capitalise the abundantly available natural resources, said administration officials.

Already, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board has been generating hydro electric power using water discharged from Periyar dam for irrigation at Lower Camp at Goodalur in the district. One of the four power generators has started generating power from this station.

Similarly, several companies, including processing and masala manufacturing units, in the district have set up solar heaters to process agro-produces in large scale to cut down electricity expenditure.

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