A micro wind turbine provider has developed a 1-KW wind-solar hybrid system that can be installed in schools to generate captive power.

The energy generated is sufficient to power a computer, a fan and LED lights for few hours a day, according to Mr C. Raghuraman, president of E-Hands Energy, which makes these turbines.

The system costs about Rs 1 lakh and comes with a 600-Watt micro windmill and a 300-W solar panel, together weighing 30 kg.

The company is in talks with The Rockefeller Foundation and Clinton Foundation to work out a pact to promote these systems since the company does not make profits on this, Mr Raghuraman told Business Line .

E-Hands has launched an initiative called “Wind for schools” where the company will help schools set up a Wind Application Centre.

“Students will be taken through classroom training and field work and be trained on economic analysis of power tariff, metering power generated and evaluating the wind resource for new sites,” Mr Raghuraman said. “Depending on the schools' awareness about wind power, we will hold knowledge transfer sessions to teachers,” he added.

Some schools choose this to be part of physics while others consider it outdoor extra-curricular education, he said.

The company has sold 19 such systems in the last two weeks and has installed them in several top-notch schools across the country such as Valley School, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and The School-KF. “Eighteen more schools have placed orders,” Mr Raghuraman said.

Considering the fact that the megawatt wind farms are located in the hinterlands, children in schools may never have an opportunity to get close to these big wind turbines to understand how they work, Mr Raghuraman pointed out.

>sushma.un@thehindu.co.in

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