Utilisation of wind power in ARID and SEMI-ARID areas in India

Utilisation of wind power through windmills and wind electronic generators has a vast scope in the development of the arid and semi-arid areas in India. Direct water pumping windmills can make a substantial contribution in supplying water for domestic purposes, live stock and minor irrigation in many villages of Rajasthan. The WP-2 type of water pumping windmill designed and developed in the National Aeronautical Laboratory, Bangalore, is useful in regions of low and moderate wind speeds. The average wind speed at most cf the places in Rajasthan during the summer months, which are the windiest, varies from 12 to 18 km.p.h. and the windmill gives its optimum output in this range of wind speeds. The wind speed data available for five stations in Rajasthan have been analysed and the monthly quantities of water that can be pumped by a WP-2 windmill through a height of 10 metres have been worked out for these stations. It is seen that the WP-2 windmill can pump about 15,000 gal. of water per day through a height of 10 metres under favourable wind speeds during summer months. The economics of operation of WP-2 windmills at these places has also been studied.13; An examination of the monthly quantities of water pumped against the monthly rainfall shows that a t all places studied the water pumped is a maximum during the summer months, i.e., from April to July when water is needed most.13; A study of the characteristics of wind electric generators of different capacities ranging from 1 kW to 25 kW. in relation to the wind regime in Rajasthan shows that wind electric generators in the range of 2-5 kW are comparatively economical