New Wind Vision Report Forecasts Clean Energy Future

The Wind Program’s recently released Wind Vision Report projects an extraordinarily clean energy future in America. Picture this: In 2050, more than 100 million U.S. homes are powered by wind energy, reducing costs for consumers while avoiding gigatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, and the wind industry plays a pivotal role in strengthening U.S. manufacturing and the economy through the more than 600,000 people who will earn their living in wind industry-related jobs in the United States. American consumers come out on top, saving billions of dollars in avoided healthcare costs, economic damages, and energy bills.

This edition of the Wind Program Newsletter highlights some of the recent research and development that is helping drive utility-scale technology advancements, the growth of domestic manufacturing, and the level of wind deployment seen in recent years. For example, new maps show that as wind turbine technology advances, areas with previously limited wind resources have the opportunity to add new wind power capacity using taller utility-scale technologies; the Energy Department’s Atmosphere to Electrons Initiative is developing effective solutions to mitigate the adverse impacts of wakes shed from upstream wind turbines on downstream turbine performance; and a more efficient, reliable wind turbine drivetrain promises to further reduce the cost of wind energy. Together, innovative, research-driven efforts such as these contributed to the Wind Vision Report’s positive findings for the future of U.S. wind energy.

In writing the Wind Vision Report, we recognized that the Energy Department is not the sole agent to drive a new future for the industry, but the Wind Program can provide focus and direction by leading efforts to accelerate the development of next-generation wind power technologies and assisting in solving key market challenges. The Wind Vision effort was underpinned by invaluable contributions from the wind industry, environmental stewardship organizations, academics, and national laboratories and is intended to push the boundaries of renewable energy further than ever before. As coexistence is the key to our success, I encourage the broader energy community to review the report and share its findings beyond our walls. Explore the findings of the Wind Vision Report and the Wind Vision Roadmap at wind.energy.gov/vision to learn more about key actions the research community, wind energy industry, and others can take to accelerate the deployment of wind energy nationwide.

Sincerely,

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Jose Zayas