U.S. Government Announces New Wind Power Projects

June 6, 2008
Projects include new wind turbine test facility and new reserach facility

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently announced new wind projects that include: a new wind turbine blade test facility to be constructed in Texas; a partnership between NREL, DOE, and a state consortium led by University of Houston; a just-signed agreement with Siemens Power Generation to locate and test a commercial-scale wind turbine at NREL's National Wind Technology Center; and, a new Siemens research and development facility in Boulder, Colo., which will work closely with NREL on advanced wind power technologies.

"The projects demonstrate the shared commitment of the federal government and the private sector to achieve 20% wind energy by 2030," DOE Assistant Secretary Alexander Karsner said. "To dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance our energy security, clean power generation at the gigawatt-scale will be necessary to expand the domestic wind manufacturing base and streamline the permitting process."

"The U.S. wind industry grew by an astounding 45% in 2007," said NREL Director Dan Arvizu. "These projects demonstrate a commitment to the crucial technology R&D -- and the public-private partnerships -- that will be necessary to ensure the wind power industry's continued momentum. "

At the Texas-NREL Large Blade Research and Test Facility on the Gulf Coast at Ingleside, Tex., NREL will provide technical and operational assistance, and DOE will fund up to $2 million in capital costs, for a state-of-the-art facility capable of testing blades up to at least 70 meters, or 230 feet, in length.

In the partnership with Siemens Power Generation, a 2.3 megawatt, SWT-2.3-101 commercial wind turbine will be erected at NREL's 305-acre National Wind Technology Center, where NREL and Siemens researchers will conduct a full array of tests to evaluate existing systems and develop new ones for next-generation technologies. The work, which will be conducted under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between NREL and Siemens, will encompass power quality, noise emissions, rotor aerodynamics, load factors during normal operation and under severe operating conditions -- all with a goal of improving the overall performance of new turbines.

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

How Manufacturers Can Optimize Operations with Weather Intelligence

Nov. 2, 2023
The bad news? Severe weather has emerged as one of the biggest threats to continuity and safety in manufacturing. The good news? The intelligence solutions that build weather ...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!