WINDExchange Newsletter: Wind Resource Maps Now Available for All 50 States!

DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy sent this bulletin at 02/07/2023 03:45 PM EST

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WINDExchange Newsletter

Issue #224 | Feb. 7, 2023

The WINDExchange Newsletter is a quarterly publication highlighting recent wind energy news, events, publications, and other wind-related activities from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its national laboratories. If you have questions, please contact WIND.Exchange@nrel.gov.

In This Issue

Our Top Stories 

Navigate the Growing WINDExchange Maps Database with a Breezy ​​​​New Guide 

WINDExchange map of Alaska.

With the recent addition of Alaska, WINDExchange now provides a collection of 100-meter wind resource maps for all 50 states! But this set of maps is just one slice of the larger WINDExchange maps database.

Serving as a hub for both large and small wind energy projects, WINDExchange offers more than 300 wind resource maps and counting, for both land-based and offshore wind resources. But don’t let that number scare you—a breezy guide to help you navigate our wind resource maps is here to help you sail straight to the map you’re looking for!

The ​​​​guide also provides background information on the different types of WINDExchange resource maps to help you better understand how to use each one.   

​​​What Becomes of an End-of-Life Wind Turbine?

Crews lower the nacelle as part of the decommissioning of the 3-MW Alstom wind turbine at NREL’s National Wind Technology Center.

With more than 70,000 land-based wind turbines currently installed across the United States—and more being deployed to reach state and federal renewable energy goals—many communities are wondering what happens when these turbines reach the end of their service. Can they be retrofitted with new parts, or should the entire wind energy project be removed? What happens to the old turbine parts?  

To help answer these questions, ​​WINDExchange published the Wind Energy End of Service Guide. Written by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), this resource aims to help readers better understand their options upgrading or disposing of wind turbines and related infrastructure.  

Wind Energy Seed Funding Available to Colleges and Universities

Logo for REpowering Schools.

REpowering Schools is partnering with NREL to offer up to $6,000 in seed funding to help colleges and universities cover wind energy project expenses during the second half of the 2022–2023 school year. These expenses can include research materials and supplies, travel, curricula development, and expenses related to research publication. Any undergraduate-serving university or college can apply. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and awards will be announced monthly.  

Visit REpowering Schools to learn more and apply.

In Case You Missed It 

Recently, WINDExchange hosted a webinar about the decision-making processes for offshore wind energy siting and permitting with a focus on the points at which community leaders, property owners, and other local stakeholders can meaningfully engage with these processes. Missed the event? Watch the webinar recording. 

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has published data that will enhance researchers’ ability to understand and improve inaccuracies in models used for small distributed wind turbines. This first-of-its-kind study, which was funded by DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office and published in Wind Energy Science, sheds light on when and why wind models might overestimate or underestimate wind speeds and turbine performance. The study also provides recommendations to help users select the best modeling tools for their needs. This data helps potential small-wind-turbine buyers learn about the capabilities of wind energy modeling tools, helping them make the most informed investment decisions.  

Learn more about this pioneering research on tools for modeling and simulating small wind turbines.  

DOE NREL has selected 11 manufacturers of small- and medium-scale wind turbine technology to receive a total of $2.9 million under DOE’s Competitiveness Improvement Project. 

These awards are designed to help make distributed wind technologies—often small- and medium-scale turbines that generate wind energy near where it is consumed—less expensive and more reliable. 

With the Competitiveness Improvement Project’s support, these awardees will help make it easier for homeowners, farmers, businesses, and others to tap into the benefits of wind energy.  

Get to know the 2022–2023 CIP awardees.

Events

Webinar: Through Feb. 16, 2023, Online

As the U.S. wind energy industry grows, wind energy facilities will need to find solutions for monitoring and minimizing risks to local wildlife. The Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute and NREL are hosting a webinar series that focuses on future wind turbine technologies and wildlife considerations, the acceleration of monitoring and minimization technologies, public and industry acceptance of these technologies, and cost-effective strategies for integrating these technologies with wind turbines.

Register to attend the webinars.  

Conference: Feb. 22–23, 2023, Virtual

This 2-day virtual summit hosted by DOE and others will feature discussions on the Floating Offshore Wind Shot, an ambitious initiative to reduce the coast of floating offshore wind energy by at least 70% by 2035. Speakers will include Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, along with policy makers, experts, community leaders, and innovators.

Register to attend the conference.  

Conference: Feb. 27–March 1, 2023, Arlington, Virginia

This annual conference from the Distributed Wind Energy Association offers an opportunity to connect with leaders of the distributed wind energy industry, policy makers, agency staff, and experts from DOE and its national labs. The 2023 conference offers a 1.5-day business conference, a full lobby day with members of Capitol Hill, and a free half-day post-conference industry session on distributed wind energy deployment issues.

Register to attend the conference in person or virtually. 

Webinar: March 2, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET, Online

Reaching the United States’ target of 30 gigawatts offshore wind energy by 2030 will require a significant expansion of our domestic workforce and supply chains. During this webinar, NREL researchers Matt Shields and Jeremy Stefek will present new research on the challenges of producing thousands of offshore wind energy technology components while creating tens of thousands of U.S. jobs—and the solutions that can help the industry meet those challenges. 

Register to attend the webinar and learn about this first-of-its kind research. In the meantime, explore NREL’s research on the offshore wind energy supply chain and the offshore wind workforce.  

Conference: March 22–24, 2023, National Harbor, Maryland

Join the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Energy Innovation Summit to mingle with a range of energy experts and think about America’s energy challenges in new and innovative ways. Now in its 13th year, the summit offers a 3-day program aimed at moving transformational energy technologies out of the lab and into the market. 

Conference: March 28–30, 2023, Baltimore, Maryland

Hosted by the Business Network for Offshore Wind, this 3-day offshore wind energy conference will consist of panels and presentations that will bring together the global offshore wind energy industry and offer the latest in educational content.  

Visit the WINDExchange calendar to learn more about upcoming events.