Reference to current energy crisis; it has been suggested that small wind turbines and solar panels be installed at rooftops of houses to generate sufficient power for fans and lights. In my opinion, we should go a step further. All builders should be bound to install at least one alternate energy device like a wind turbine or solar panels at the rooftops of the houses or other buildings.The wind-turbine option would be highly successful in areas where wind is in abundance like Karachi, Hyderabad etc. As regards solar panels, this option can be exercised in the whole country as solar panels run on sunlight which is available everywhere throughout the year. A wind turbine of two kilowatt capacity could be sufficient to provide power to a household in Pakistan. Similarly, the number of solar panels can be calculated keeping in view the electricity requirement of each house.A country like Ethiopia has decided to establish two wind farms (120 and 400 MW) to overcome its power shortage. The country is also going to establish assembling facilities for these turbines for which the local manpower would be trained. The political leadership of Ethiopia identified a problem that was creating a lot of hardships for the country’s people, discussed the problem and arrived at a solution.
I hope our leaders learn something from the Ethiopian leaders.Air-Cdre (r) Azfar A Khan —Rawalpindi @thenews.com.pkHarnessing students for researchIn 2001, I read in a Chinese newspaper that more than 400,000 projects designed by university students get implemented every year in that country. All our engineering universities would find it difficult to name 100 projects that were designed by students and implemented.Why don’t we have a competition and ask universities to design projects to produce power from bulls/buffaloes and use running water in rivers and canals which are abundant.All universities should be given a grant coming from donations from the industry. The best design should be recognised in the shape of Rs10m cash prize so that more and more students take up such challenges. It will also sow the seed for competition amongst students.In 2008 our company assigned two design projects to mechanical engineering students from NED University.
We managed grants of Rs 50,000 for each project. One group succeeded in designing and demonstrating power generation using a typical bull-driven water-well contraption. They demonstrated power production with zero fuel input.Trying to give their invention a larger audience, I tried my level best to get them print and electronic media attention but failed to do so and this story never got any recognition.Pakistani students are no less than any other students. If China could implement 400,000 projects in 2001, we can surely aim at 4,000.S. Nayyar Iqbal Raza — Karachi @Dawn.com
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