India is a major player in the global wind energy market and is ranked fifth in the world in terms of installed capacity of wind power. Now the new Amrita Wind Energy Center (AWEC) at Coimbatore will help further the country’s quest for affordable and clean energy as well as energy security.

“This happens to be the first Wind Energy Centre in an academic institution, to be supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)”, stated Dr. Sasi K. K. of EEE Dept who will be joined by Dr. S. Raju Ananth of Aerospace Engg in coordinating the activities of the new Center.

The Center will offer two PG Diploma programs in Wind Power Development and Wind Resource Assessment respectively. The one-year, two-semester program will train thirty students every year. Both programs will commence in July 2011.

The Center will receive capital funding worth Rs 33 lakhs in the current year as an equipment grant for the proposed Wind Energy Laboratory. “This laboratory will be of immense help to many undergraduate and graduate engineering students doing research projects on wind energy conversion,” explained Dr. Sasi.

It will also receive financial assistance worth Rs 40 lakh per annum, for a period of three years, for human resource development through postgraduate academic programs.

“We had made a proposal to the Centre for Wind Energy Technology (CWET), the national apex body for wind energy set up by MNRE,” informed Dr. Sasi. “During its Research Council meeting convened on August 30 at Kanyakumari, the proposal was approved.”

“Amrita will soon sign an MoU in this regard with CWET.”

An autonomous R&D institution that serves as the technical focal point for wind power development in India, CWET aims to improve the entire spectrum of the wind energy sector in the nation through research.

“Active support to AWEC in the form of student sponsorship and trainers’ training is assured by Indian wind industry through Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers’ Association (IWTMA), Chennai,” Dr. Sasi added.

“Academic and administrative support will be provided by Dr. T. N. P. Nambiar, Dr. J. Chandrasekhar, Prof. A. T. Devarajan, Dr. T. B. Isha and Dr. V. Sivadas.”

“AWEC is the result of a joint proposal by the Departments of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Aerospace Engineering of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore campus and we look forward to student and faculty participation to make it a success.”

September 24, 2010
School of Engineering, Coimbatore