On the occasion of the 13th World Wind Energy Conference 2014 in Shanghai, the Board of the World Wind Energy Association has decided to give the World Wind Energy Award 2014 to Dr. Anil Kane. With the Award, the WWEA Board recognizes Dr. Kane as one of the pioneers of wind power in India, Asia and worldwide.
Already in the early 1980s, when hardly anybody understood the huge potential of wind power, Dr. Kane started working for wind and personally invested in wind turbines by putting up the first commercial wind farm in Gujarat. This wind farm is still in operation without any trouble for the last 30 years.
WWEA appreciates that Dr. Kane has been involved in the wind power development on the academic, business and government side, as an advisor to many of the key organizations of Indian wind power. Dr. Kane has been instrumental in forming government policies for promoting wind energy in India from the central government as well as several state governments.
Dr. Kane has also been at key positions in various wind associations, e.g. as former Chairman and now Chairman Emeritus of the Indian Wind Energy Association and as President Emeritus of WWEA whose President he was from 2005-2011. In his capacity as WWEA President, Dr. Kane travelled all over the world and advised countries on all continents on their national wind power strategies.
Without Dr. Kane’s personal contributions, wind power would not have become such a big success story in India and in the whole world.
With the Award, WWEA would also like to encourage others to take Dr. Kane’s commitment and achievements as an inspiring example to follow.