Attappady all set to tap wind energy

The tribal heartland of Attappady, the most backward area in the district which lacks infrastructure and basic amenities like roads and drinking water, is all set to produce power from wind energy.A wind farm, to produce 20 MW of power, is coming up on three hills of Attappady at Kadampara, Nallasinga and Kaundikal.In all, 33 wind turbine generators with a total capacity of 19.8 MW are under construction. Each generator will have a capacity of 600 KW. Two 33 kV transmission lines from the wind farm to the Agali substation of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is also under construction.The work on the wind farm by 'Suzlon' started in June this year. It is expected to start power generation from March next year.

 

Areas like Kottathara, Kadampara, Nallasinga, Sholayur and Kaundikal are witnessing brisk activities. Wind energy is considered a green power source. It is also the cleanest energy mode.India ranks first in Asia and fourth in the world among wind power producing countries. India added 1700 MW to the installed capacity in 2006-07 to aggregate an installed capacity of more than 7200 MW. The State has now made a beginning in tapping wind potential (assessed as around 650 MW).But, some have raised doubts about its impact on the environment. Suzlon has rubbished all such allegations. "Wind farms, by its very design do not act as a solid obstruction. Therefore, they do not induce enough vertical velocities to result in any appreciable change in precipitation," a company official said.

 

 

The Hindu, December 11^th 2007