My hometown of Udumalpet is located in the state of Tamil Nadu, deep in the south of India.  The town experiences pleasant tropical weather throughout the year.  Because of this, it is famously called “poor man’s Ooty.”  (Ooty is a hill station in Southern India known for its cool climatic conditions.) The town is located in Palghat Pass and experiences an annual average wind speed of 18-22 kmph (11-13.6 mph).  This provides the opportunity for power generation using windmills.  In 2005, there was an exponential rise in the number of windmills in this region, as more wind projects were sanctioned by the government. It is critical to remember that these wind projects were created not to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, but to use the high wind velocity to generate electricity and help the state of Tamil Nadu, which was under a severe energy crisis. The windmills were seen as a boon for the local people and economy, as they would...(Read Full Post)