The 14th International Training Programme on “Wind Turbine Technology and Applications” was successfully organized by the ITCS unit of NIWE during 03rd to 30th September 2014 to address all aspects of Wind Power starting from introduction to wind and its technology, wind resource assessment, installation, operation and maintenance aspects of wind farms along with financial analysis and CDM benefits. This is a special training course for ITEC / SCAAP Countries sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India under ITEC / SCAAP programme and supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. The course was attended by 18 participants from 13 countries (Bhutan, Cuba, Ethiopia, India (special), Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Peru, ST Lucia, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda)
This programme was inaugurated by Shri. D. Vaidyanathan, Chief General Manager, ITCOT Consultancy and services Ltd., Chennai.
The course content for the training was very comprehensive and the lectures of the course were delivered by eminent Scientists, Engineers and other wind energy professionals with years of experience who were drawn from NIWE, wind turbine industries and academic institutions. During the 28 days programme, Forty Seven classroom lectures were handled apart from practical training, field & factory visits to provide complete knowledge transfer to the participants.
As part of the study visit, all the participants were travelled to southern part of Tamil Nadu to visit Wind Turbine Test / Research Station located at Kayathar and got to know about small and large wind turbine testing process apart from visiting wind farms in and around Kanyakumari, where wind turbines are installed in large numbers like coconut trees.
Participants stayed at Kanyakumari during the study visit period and the experience at Cape Comerin (southern tip of India) are so exciting to the participants such as seeing the sunrise and sunset and cultural visits showcasing the spiritual heritage of India.
As part of the training programme, the practical training with Wind Resource Assessment, instrumentation, Testing & R&D equipments was arranged apart from the factory visit to M/s ReGen Powertech , Tada Mandal where they had a chance of listening from the industry experts who are actually in the process of making wind turbines and visiting the manufacturing facilities.
To provide hands on experience, all the participants visited M/s. MinVayu at Auroville (Pondicherry) where they had a chance of manufacturing Small Wind Turbine themselves after getting theoretical training of how to manufacture the Small Wind Turbine with the local materials at low cost.
The course structure and organization of training was highly appreciated by the participants. The participants were very much satisfied by the quality of lectures and hospitality they found in India.
