ABSTRACT
The cost of energy derived from manual labour in tasks like lifting water from wells and canals is estimated to be about 20 times higher than the commercial price for electricity. It appears that practically no serious attempt was made to utilize wind energy in India until the 1950s. While wind power has been utilized in propelling and guiding ships and boats, for several reasons no other utilization of wind energy could develop. One reason probably was the ready availability of animate energy derived from the muscle power of draft animals. The most common method of using wind energy is by conversion into shaft work. Electricity may be derived from shaft work simply by coupling a suitable generator to the windmill shaft. Wind-energy conversion into electricity through shaft work could be examined on the basis of the mode of utilization of electricity in Indian villages.
