Wind Energy Technologies Office
April 16, 2019
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released a request for proposals (RFP) in support of NREL’s Technology Development and Innovation (TD&I) program to address wind-wildlife operational challenges. The goal of TD&I is to aid the development of wind-wildlife impact mitigation technologies that will facilitate more efficient and cost-effective wind energy deployment across the United States. The subsequent contract(s) will support the advancement and validation of emerging technologies that detect and deter birds and bats from wind energy facilities, as well as the understanding of bat and eagle behavior and physiology for the purpose of advancing impact minimization technologies.
For more information, please visit the RFP posting, or contact Procurement Office Subcontract Administrator William Algiene with any questions.
To read more on the TD&I program, please see NREL’s website.
Events
Tuesday, April 30–Thursday, May 2, 2019, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
Alexandria, Virginia
DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) will hold its Project Peer Review April 30–May 2, 2019, in Alexandra, Virginia. The purpose of the peer review is to evaluate projects funded by DOE based on their contribution to the mission and goals of the office, track progress made against stated objectives, and assess the office’s overall management and performance.
The objectives of the peer review are to:
- Review and evaluate the strategies and goals of DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office programs
- Review and evaluate the progress and accomplishments of wind energy research and development projects funded by the DOE in Fiscal Years 2017–2018
- Foster interactions among industry, DOE's national laboratories, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations conducting research and development on behalf of the office.
The 2019 Project Peer Review will include two parallel tracks across 12 WETO technology areas, including:
- Advanced Components, Reliability, and Manufacturing
- Atmosphere to Electrons
- Distributed Wind R&D
- Grid Integration
- Environmental Research
- Modeling and Analysis
- Offshore-Specific R&D
- Programmatic Support
- Regulatory and Siting
- Stakeholder Engagement and Workforce Development
- Standards Support and International Engagement
- Testing Infrastructure.
Principal Investigators, expert reviewers, WETO staff, and contract support staff will be in attendance during the review meeting. The event is open to the public based upon space availability. Space is limited so if you would like to attend, please register for the event by April 22, 2019.
May 20–23, 2019
Houston, Texas
DOE's WETO will be exhibiting at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) WINDPOWER conference May 20–23, 2019, in Houston, Texas. If you’re at the conference, stop by the DOE booth to learn about our efforts to advance scientific knowledge and technological innovation to enable clean, low-cost wind energy options nationwide. Some examples of presentations from DOE and the national labs throughout the conference are:
- The Future with Larger Blades and Turbines with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and Sandia National Laboratories
- Wind Power and Cybersecurity with Idaho National Laboratory and NREL
- Understanding the Community-Level Economic Impacts Supported by the Rush Creek Wind Farm with NREL
- Developer Exec Roundtable: Investing in Communities So They Invest In Us with DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office
- U.S. Wind Market Forecast with LBNL.
In Case You Missed It
DOE’s WETO has issued a $28 million multi-topic Funding Opportunity Announcement aimed at enabling wind energy nationwide across all sectors: land-based, offshore, and distributed. The funding covers four topics:
- Wind Innovations for Rural Economic Development (WIRED)
- U.S. Offshore Wind Test Facilities R&D and Upgrades
- Project Development for Offshore Wind Demonstrations
- Tall Towers for U.S. Wind Power
Read the DOE press release. Concept papers are due April 29, 2019.
The National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium, which receives funding support from WETO, has announced the release of its first Request for Proposals (RFP) and the addition of new members. Offshore wind is an important part of DOE's all of the above strategy to ensure a secure, reliable, resilient, affordable, and enduring supply of American energy supporting early-stage research and development.
The Consortium's RFP is related to offshore wind plant technology advancement, which includes optimizing the performance of wind plants; reducing the costs of turbine support structures (e.g. foundations); developing innovative mooring and anchoring technologies for floating wind; and reducing the cost and risk associated with the transmission and distribution of electricity from offshore wind.
The Consortium has also added six new members with representation on the Consortium's Board of Directors. New members include state agencies of Maryland, Massachusetts, and Virginia, who have joined New York in pledged funding and other state resources to support offshore wind R&D.
Learn more on DOE's National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium web page.
Recently Updated: How Wind Works Webpage, and WETO Projects Map
Wind technologies have advanced significantly to provide over 96 GW of capacity and over 100,000 jobs in the United States. Our website explains how wind energy works, including an interactive animation with a detailed view of the inside of a turbine, its components, and their functionality. Freshen up your knowledge on the basics by visiting the website.
Updated quarterly, WETO maintains a public database and map of the projects we’ve funded, which you can search or filter by state, type of partner organization, or area of research. Learn more about our funded R&D projects and their results on the WETO Map.
|
