Standards & Regulation

Indian wind energy sector has been developing into the main stream of industrial activity with active participation of the private sector. An Indian wind turbine certification scheme viz., Type Approval - Provisional Scheme was developed by NIWE with the technical assistance of RISO National Laboratory, Denmark (presently known as DTU, Denmark). The TAPS 2000, which was the first of its kind certification scheme for wind turbines, was approved and issued by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and was implemented by NIWE. In addition, NIWE has been involved in preparation of Indian Standards on wind turbines and providing technical support to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has been issuing the guidelines for Wind Power Projects to streamline the development and facilitate healthy and orderly growth of the Wind Power Sector in the country. MNRE is issuing Revised List of Models and Manufactures of wind turbines (RLMM). NIWE has been providing the technical support to MNRE for implementation of RLMM process. NIWE is also facilitating the grid synchronization of prototype wind turbine models to carry out type testing as per the guidelines issued by MNRE.

Testing

M&T station is the accepted primary Lab in India for Wind Turbine Testing as per the National Lab Policy of MNRE. GoI and all other laboratories operating in the field of Wind Turbine Testing will be secondary labs to NIWE. Together they will work to build the capacity and delivery mechanism for world class testing for Wind Turbines in India for all the stakeholders.

It is the first NABL Accredited Test Laboratory in India for providing the services related to Type testing of Wind Turbines in the context of wind turbine type certification, in compliance with relevant standards and rules. The Accreditation was acquired in the year 2006 and still holds the distinction of being the only NABL Accredited lab in India for the past 13 years.

NIWE's Wind Turbine Test Station (WTTS) near Kayathar in Tamil Nadu was established in the year 1999 with the technical assistance of Riso National Laboratory, Denmark under Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) grant and with financial assistance and guidance from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. Presently plans are underway for developing the second Wind Turbine Test Station exclusively for the purpose of Offshore Wind Turbines, which when commissioned will be the first in India.

The Kayathar WTTS has the following facilities:
• Availability of two test beds to test wind turbines up to a total capacity of 1650 kW & are expandable with readily available grid connection for each test bed.
• Readily available met masts in front of each test bed, designed to heights of 75 meters and 50 meters for acquiring meteorological data at the hub heights of the test turbines.
• Two control rooms, one for each test bed with state-of-art data acquisition systems and one office building.

The Research Station operating at WTTS and open for all the Wind Turbine Stakeholders has the following features:
• Established in one of the Windy Pass Area namely Senkottai Pass considered as the best windy area in Tamil Nadu, the research station is spread over 100 acres of land.
• Total Wind Turbine installed capacity at the Research facility is 6400 kW consisting of nine number of 200 kW (Stall regulated fixed speed), one 600 kW (Pitch regulated fixed speed), one 2000 kW (Pitch regulated Variable Speed) and one 2000 kW (Pitch regulated DFIG) Wind Turbines.
• 75 kWp Solar Power Plant for Hybrid studies.
• On line Wind Data Collection from 3 different Metrological Masts of different heights 50m, 75m and 120m at Research Station, Kayathar.
• Asia's 1^st exclusive Maker's Space for SWT innovators under development at WTTS.
• SWT Blade & Drive Train Hub Test Facility under Design and will be executed in the RE Demo Lab under construction at WTTS.

Standards & Regulation

1. Standards:

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards Body which issues Indian Standards. A committee viz., Wind Turbine Sectional Committee (ETD 42) has been formulated by BIS for the preparation of Indian standards on wind turbines, under the Chairmanship of Director General, NIWE. NIWE provides the technical support to BIS in all the standards related works including IEC standards / IECRE documents.

2. Prototype Wind Turbines Models:

MNRE has issued the guidelines on installation of prototype wind turbine models in India to facilitate the installation of Prototype wind turbine models to carry out the Type Testing for obtaining Type Certificate. NIWE facilitates for Grid Synchronization of Prototype of wind turbine models by implementing MNRE guidelines on prototype wind turbine models.

3. Revised List of Models and Manufacturers of wind turbines (RLMM):

As per MNRE guidelines, RLMM lists are being issued by MNRE periodically, based on the documentation/information provided by various wind turbine manufacturers. NIWE provides the technical support to MNRE in issuing RLMM.

Testing

The WTTS Test Station has currently two test beds with grid connection to test wind turbines up to 1250kW and 400kW capacities. The number of test beds can be enhanced and higher capacity wind turbines can be tested when offered.

Each bed with its control room is equipped with sophisticated data acquisitions systems having validated software and state of art architecture.

Currently two met masts are available in front of each test bed.
• The terrain features are gently sloping towards the western direction which is also the predominant wind direction and the wind season is from April to September during which testing will be conducted.

Tests for Wind Turbines

• Power Performance measurements
• Safety and Function testing
• Yaw efficiency
• Load Measurements & Duration Test (exclusively for SWT)
• Special measurements tailored for customer requests.

The Division also takes up field measurements at client locations on request.

Advantages of Testing Wind Turbines

The measurements of a wind turbine would assist a

• Wind turbine manufacturer striving for better design and performance.
• Wind turbine purchaser in specifying requirements for design and performance.
• Wind turbine operator in verifying and monitoring performance.
• Wind turbine investors in wind farm projects based on what wind turbines can deliver regards to its design and performance.

Creation of the following new national test facilities are at various stages of progress and the facilities are expected to be dedicated to the service of the nation soon.

• Blade Test Centre for Large & Small Wind Turbine Blades
• Drive Train Test Centre for Small Wind Turbines
• Fault Ride Through (LVRT) Test facility
• Power Quality Measurements
• Acoustics (for Wind Turbine ) measurements
• Avian Fauna Study
• Environmental Impact Assessment study

We, a part of NIWE, are committed to provide credible, prompt and reliable service in testing of Wind Turbine to our valued customers in the wind energy sector.

We shall maintain highest standards of professional ethics, confidentiality & impartiality in our operations. Our methods and practices are transparent and conforming to national and international standards.

We are committed to ensure competence of all personnel who are involved in the testing operation in order to maintain consistency in our operation.

We shall strive to meet the expectations of our customer through implementation of IS/ISO/IEC 17025 and continually improve upon it.

• The testing services of the Division conforms to the Quality Management System ISO 9001:2015, awarded by DNV and valid since 11.08.2016.

DNV Certificate

• Accreditation - The testing services of NIWE have been assessed and accredited in accordance to the requirements of the ISO/IEC 17025 by National Accreditation Board for testing and calibrations laboratories, New Delhi. NABL has a MRA (Mutual Recognition Arrangement) with APLAC (Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) which in turn has a MRA with ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation).

CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION

• Evaluation of test site for Type testing
• Guidelines for Scheduling Activities for Type Testing
• DNV Certificate
• Certificate of Accreditation
• MNRE Call for R&D Proposal in thrust areas of Small Wind Energy Hybrid System
• Fourteenth List of Empanelment of Small Wind Turbines
• Guidelines on the technical requirement to be fulfilled by a small wind turbine manufacturer for empanelment with MNRE/NIWE
• Call for R&D Proposal in thrust areas of Small Wind Energy Hybrid System