Trial production of power under OTEC project
Madurai, (PTI): Trial production of power under the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Project at Kulasekarapattinam near Tiruchendur in Tuticorin district was on, a top official of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board said on Wednesday.
The ocean thermal energy conversion involved vaporisation of liquid ammonium using the sudden drop in the temperature within five metres from the surface of the sea water, G V Ramasamy, Chief Engineer, TNEB said.
Addressing a meeting of the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said this vapourised gas was used to operate the turbines which generated power.
Such a temperature difference within five metres from the sea-level was noticed off Kulasekarapattinam, he said.
For the on-going trial production, a floating vessel was also used. Once the trial was successful, power could be generated on a largescale, he said.
Besides, trial production of power from tidal waves was going on in Gujarat. The Government was also keen to tap solar energy and wind energy. However, production of wind energy had dropped last year leading to shortage of power in the State.
"Now the Power shortage in the State is just 250 MW, compared to 2000 MW till a few months ago. We have procured 300 MW of power from Haryana and Assam," he said.
The TNEB planned to streamline the power supply to agriculture sector. There was a plan to supply power for farms three times a day. Instead of supplying power to farms six hours each in the day and night, there was a plan to give free power for four hours each in the morning, noon and night.
Steps were being taken to provide separate feeder power lines for railway stations, airports, bus stations and hospitals so that they were not affected by the shortage, he said.
Tamil Nadu stood first in wind energy generation by producing a total of 3684 MW. He said there was a plan to form a committee to plan distribution and saving of power.
Saving one unit of power was equal to generation of two units, hence the government was also keen to save electricity.
He suggested that if the industrial units used generators from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the TNEB would be able to supply electricity without power cut in any area.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry demanded that uninterrupted power should be supplied for industries.
Chamber president, S Rethinavelu, also said that the Government should return the VAT tax on diesel paid by industrial units which generated power on their own, using diesel generators.
The TNEB should allow the small industries to generate power using wind mill or anyother captive generation facility and also to distribute it among themselves using the board's network.
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