This is an excerpt from the Fourth Quarter 2013 edition of the Wind Program R&D Newsletter.
A new year always presents a great opportunity to reflect on past accomplishments and look forward to new opportunities. For the Wind Program, 2013 brought many accomplishments and significant milestones.
The program opened three new key wind facilities: the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's dynamometer test bay in Colorado, the Clemson Drivetrain Test Facility in South Carolina, and the Scaled Wind Farm Technology Facility in Texas. These facilities will support the program's ongoing testing and certification efforts that enable our industry partners to validate and commercialize innovative wind turbine components and systems.
A program-funded project at the University of Maine became the first grid connected offshore wind turbine in the United States. The program also launched its newest initiative, Atmosphere to Electrons (A2e), which will lower the cost of wind energy by improving wind plant performance through the study of atmospheric phenomena and wind plant aerodynamics. These exciting accomplishments represent just a small sample of what we achieved in 2013.
This year is going to be another exciting year for the Wind Program. The program will host the inaugural Collegiate Wind Competition at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) WINDPOWER Conference and Exposition in May, providing students from 10 collegiate teams with an opportunity to showcase their skills in wind energy engineering and business development. The program is also working with the nation's wind energy industry to develop a national Wind Vision that will shape the industry's future, thereby paving the way for technology innovation and advancement as well as continued growth in wind deployment and employment opportunities.
Regards,
Jose Zayas
Wind Program Director