NYP one of first institutions in S'pore to install vertical-axis wind turbine
In keeping with the green movement, Nanyang Polytechnic is embarking on more R&D work in the area.
It's invested some 15,000 dollars in a vertical-axis wind turbine on its premises.
Besides being used as a training tool for students, the wind turbine will also generate electricity for the polytechnic.
Jeremy Koh tells us more.
The great climate conference in Copenhagen may have ended with a whimper.
But that's not the end of the green movement.
Nanyang Polytechnic is coming up with a new course next year focusing
on clean technology as well as green and sustainable energy.
And students enrolled in the course will get to tinker with one of the few vertical axis wind turbines in Singapore.
This despite the fact that horizontal wind turbines are more commonly seen around the world.
Chan Yew Meng is the Senior Director of the School of Engineering's Electronics division in NYP.
"Vertical wind turbines at this point in time, the development
is such that it can turn at much lower wind speed than horizontal wind
turbine. So this could be a key development for future harnessing of
wind energy. So it's important for NYP to work on this wind turbine,
the vertical axis one, get the students trained in this new technology
because it's gaining acceptance."
To illustrate how efficient the vertical axis wind turbine is in
operating in very low wind speeds, Mr Chan says it can even capture the
energy from the exhaust of an aircon unit.
Though on its own, the vertical axis wind turbine will not be
generating much energy, any electricity generated will be fed back into
Nanyang Poly’s electricity grid.
Mr Chan again.
"Energy cost is one of the biggest business cost for any
organisation, so the ability to reduce energy demand and to make better
use of energy will be very important to enterprises."
The new Diploma in Electrical Engineering will take in some 50 students in its first year.
Thereafter, it will be expanded to admit some 200 students annually.
--938Live