National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) of India has launched its first wave-powered navigational buoy in Chennai, a city on the east coast of India.
The buoy, developed by NIOT, was launched by Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences M Rajeevan, on November 13, ahead of the 33rd Ocean Energy Systems (OES) Executive Committee meeting held in Chennai and hosted by NIOT.
Rajeevan, along with Chairman of OES, Henry Jeffrey, and its Executive Secretary, Ana Brito e Melo, also inaugurated an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) desalination test facility at the NIOT premises, OES informed.
During the event, Purnima Jalihal, Head of the Energy and Freshwater Program at NIOT, and OES member, emphasized the importance of ocean energy projects to India and benefits from OES international collaboration.
NIOT was established by the government of India with the aim to develop reliable indigenous technology to solve the various engineering problems associated with harvesting the resources of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is about two-thirds of the land area of India.
OES, also known as the Technology Collaboration Program on Ocean Energy Systems, is an intergovernmental collaboration between countries operating under a framework established by the International Energy Agency, with the aim to advance research, development and demonstration of