Abstract: Ever since alternating current became entrenched as the preferred form of power supply; synchronous generator has become the main attraction for its utility to extract the power from conventional sources of energy. Generally it is used in hydro and thermal power stations. These generators have undergone an impressive evolution in terms of their ratings, cooling methods and parameters. But the increasing rate of depletion of conventional sources of energy as well as growing power demand has diverted the attention of scientists towards the non-conventional sources of energy such as wind energy, solar energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy etc. Out of these wind energy is the fastest growing area of all renewable energy resources and is attractive and viable. It is observed that winds carry enormous amount of energy and could meet sufficient energy needs of the world. The regions in which strong winds prevail for a sufficient time during the year may use wind energy profitably for different purposes. It has been found that cost of wind generation is comparable to that from hydro and thermal plants. There is a little doubt that while the cost of wind generation would be even low in the coming years, the prices of fossil fuels used by thermal plants would definitely go up. In addition to this wind energy generation provides a clean and pollution free environment. It does not lead to global warming and ozone depletion. No hazardous waste is created. There is a considerable interest in the choice of electrical machines for the wind energy conversion and several views prevail. However most of the researchers are in the favour of induction generators in self- excited mode due to its ability to convert mechanical power over a wide range of rotor speeds in addition to many other advantages.

 

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Kanwarjit Singh Sandhu was born in Haryana, India on 21 December 1957. He received the B.Sc. Engg. (Electrical), M. Sc. (Electrical) and PhD (Electrical Machines) degrees from Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India in 1981, 1985 and 2001, respectively. He joined the Electrical Engineering Department of Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra, as Lecturer in January 1983. Currently, he is Professor in Electrical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra India. He has more than 50 numbers of publications in the area of electrical machines & induction generators. His areas of interest include electrical machines, wind energy conversion, power quality, power systems and artificial intelligence. At present he is supervising ten research scholars in the area of electrical machines/induction generators. He has already chaired many technical sessions in conferences in India. He is a regular reviewer of IEEE, Energy Conversion & IEE, EPA.