Dec 30, 2009
School of Engineering, Coimbatore
 

Energy Conservation Awards are given out in Kerala every year by the State Government’s Energy Management Centre, in order to encourage and recognize energy conservation activities in the state.
 

This year Amrita’s Dr. K. K. Sasi was selected to receive a commendation certificate by the award committee for his research and innovation efforts. Dr. Sasi is Professor and Vice-Chair of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the Amrita School of Engineering at Coimbatore.
 

Dr. Sasi received the award from the Electricity Minister of Kerala, Sh. A. K. Balan, at a function organized in Kannur to commemorate the National Energy Conservation Day on December 14. He was one of two individuals selected state-wide, to be honored thus in the awards’ Research and Innovation category.
 

“Dr Sasi has been in the teaching profession for the last 26 years,” stated the award citation. “He supervises three PhDs in the area of renewable energy. His activities in energy efficiency and conservation, both in academics and practical field, are acknowledged by this commendation certificate.”
 

In his illustrious research career, Dr. Sasi has published about 48 research papers and delivered over 70 invited lectures. He has chaired sessions in national and international conferences and reviewed papers for national and international journals and conferences. His doctoral thesis was about Utility Scale Wind Electricity Generation.
 

Dr. Sasi was invited to present a recent innovation before the award jury. The Grid Interactive but Non Exporting Scheme for Renewable Energy based Electric Power Generation helps distributed power generation from solar and wind resources. No power is sent to the grid; instead power is produced locally and consumed entirely without grid penetration. This not only helps reduce the energy demand on the grid but also helps avoid operational problems of utility operators. Further it promotes utilization of renewable energy on a large scale through small units.
 

Some of Dr. Sasi’s other recent research work includes work on a portable, micro wind-electric generator that could be used for charging of mobile phones and batteries and providing lighting. Such a generator could potentially be attached to the front of a vehicle, so that part of the air resistance encountered could be converted to useful energy.
 

Dr. Sasi is also working on Active Power Generation Controllers. Used with grid-connected wound rotor induction generators through slip power recovery, they help with maximum power tracking with a chopper in rotor circuit. Recently he received a fellowship to attend a Seminar on Global Energy Fulcrum at Salzburg in Austria.
 

At the award ceremony, Amrita was also represented by Sri. Deepak Dharmadam, Bureau Chief of Amrita TV, Calicut, who was honored for his news segments on energy conservation. “Considering his involvement in audio-visual reporting on energy sectors and his efforts in promoting energy conservation activities, he has been selected for the year’s Commendation Certificate,” stated his award citation.
 

Amrita congratulates both Dr. Sasi and Sri. Deepak for the honors received.