My thesis project aims to create a low-cost DIY kit for off-grid electricity in the remote region of Turtuk, Leh, India, in collaboration with the local community. The kit will include visual schematics for wind turbines and electronics such as PCB inverter, MPPT Controller for supporting hybrid power system, empowering residents to construct and maintain the turbines independently, providing additional support for the electricity generation.
Year- 2024-25
Role- Thesis project | Individual work
Skills- Hardware prototyping, Electronics, Physical Computation, Community engagement, Blender 3d modelling, 3d printing.
Awards-
Travel Grant, New school-
Competitive grant awarded for field travel concerning the research area.
Student Research Award
Grant awarded amongst 150 applicants for implementation of the project
India-China Research Fellowship
Starr Foundation student award for 2025 for independent research in India.
Turtuk, a remote village on India’s border, experiences severe winters with temperatures reaching -40°C. From November to February, river streams freeze cutting the village’s only power source, leaving the community dependent on limited power from diesel generators (4hrs runtime, from 6pm–10pm). This restricts essential activities like heating and cooking, forcing heavy reliance on firewood. There are even areas within the village with no electricity at all. The region is closed to outside connections during winter due to transport inaccessibility, raising the need for additional electricity that can be operated and maintained by the community with minimal external support.
Kit Schematics
Wind Turbines prototypes
Community insights have shaped the development of 1:10 and 1:5 scale models of the wind turbines using 3D printing. I tried 9 prototypes available in the market for wind energy generation purposes under a control environment to test which form works efficiently at lower wind speed.
The sketches first helped me understand my own ideas then bridge the gap between the same understandings and the fabricators. This ideation of sketches is not only limited to the fabricators but also extended to the community members in order to explain what kind of kit I am talking about.
Fabrication Sketches
The finalized form was then developed 1:1 model using locally available materials such as metal rods, bicycle rings. This phase was carried out with the help of local fabricators from India, who really helped me in understanding the drawbacks of my form when it comes to making it.