PLAY GROUND OF BREEZ

wind enery farm

       Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan inaugurated the first wind farm in Idukki, set up at Ramakkalmedu with private participation, at a function held in Thookkupalam on 27th April 2008. Seven wind farm units have started supply of power to the KSEB?s Kallar sub-station.

       The wind farm was set up after a survey of the wind path and its velocity. With more power units to come up in the area, the total power generated will be marginally increased. All the units have started supplying power to the Kerala State Electricity Board�s (KSEB) Kallar sub-station, 17 km away from the installed area.

       Agencies like Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (Anert) are keen to launch wind units at Ramakkalmedu, which has been found best suited for generating wind power, sources.

       With more private companies set to enter the sector, it is expected that power shortage in the peak hours will be considerably reduced. The technical support for setting up the wind farm is provided by Vestas India. Companies such Mitcon, Eastern, Zenith Energy, Sun Star and IBN have wind farm units at Ramakkalmedu. Since Ramakkalmedu lies between Thekkady and Munnar and is already in the tourism map, wind farm is set to supplement tourism

• Second most suitable place in the country for setting up wind farms.
• Total production of wind energy would reach 50 MW.
• Totaly 20 turbines at Ramakkalmedu.
• Started power supply to the KSEB?s Kallar substation.
• 917 km transmission line.

power generation

    The Government aims at generating 100 MW electricity from wind power in two years. The Ramakkalmedu scheme would generate 10.5 M.W power. The Government is sworn to tap all non-conventional sources for generating power. Technology for generating power even from garbage has been developed. Government has held fruitful discussion with France in this regard. Official sources say the cost of installing (excluding the land price) a wind unit is Rs.4.15 crore and the power generated is sold to the KSEB at a rate of Rs.3.15 paise a unit as fixed by the Central Regulatory Authority. Each unit now produces 500 to 600 kWh electricity and it can reach 1,500 kWh calculated at a maximum speed of 24 rpm (revolution per minute).

       Dedicating the Ramakkarmedu project to the State Chief Minister revealed that the studies conducted by ANERT (Agency for Non Conventional Energy and Rural Technology) showed that 650 MW could be produced using wind energy in the State. However, it took two decades for ANERT to study the wind pattern and submit a report on the potential of wind farm as an alternative source of power generation. Seventeen places have been identified for setting up wind farms. Ramakkalmedu is the second most suitable place in the country for setting up wind farms and the availability of vast barren land there shows the tremendous untapped potential existing there for power generation. Government would give sanction to any project by an individual to set up wind units in his land with ANERT clearance. Another wind farm project aimed at 16 MW production is under way at Agali in Palakkad district. The total production of wind energy would reach 50 MW with the completion of 20 turbines at Ramakkalmedu. All the 14 wind units already completed at Ramakkalmedu have started power supply to the KSEB?s Kallar substation through a 917 km transmission line. In comparison to thermal, atomic and hydro-electric plants where pollution, waste management and ecological costs are high, wind energy, with a zero level of pollution, opens a new window as energy supplier. Companies such as Etton World, Sun Star, IBN, Zenith Energy, Eastern and Miton have installed units with technical support of Vestar India, an arm of Vestar Denmark, which at present has 35,000 wind farms the world over.

 

India's Largest Windpower Facilities (10 MW and Greater)

 

 

Ramakkalmedu is a hill station located about 15 Km from Nedumkandom. The main tourism importance of this place is the presence of excellent wind from TamilNadu. Rolling green hills and the fresh mountain air make Ramakalmedu an enchanting retreat.s

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