Wind Energy Technologies Office

August 24, 2023

Continue to follow the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) for the latest news, events, and updates.

Wind Energy Market Reports

A Windy Growth Spurt Is On the Horizon

The data on wind are in! Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released its annual wind market reports. The three reports include the latest data and trends on domestic wind energy development, technologies, costs, prices, and performance for land-based wind and distributed wind through the end of 2022, and for offshore wind through May, 2023. The reports show that wind power continues to be one of the fastest growing and lowest-cost sources of electricity in America—and this progress isn’t stopping anytime soon.

Offshore Wind The United States continues to gain its sea legs, with the capacity of offshore wind energy projects in various stages of development  increasing by 15%. This brings the amount of offshore wind capacity in the development pipeline to 52,687 MW, which if fully developed, would be enough to power over 18 million American homes. Learn more about the vast potential this type of wind energy holds by diving into our new article highlighting what offshore wind farms could offer the U.S. in the near future and what DOE is doing to get us there. And of course, don’t forget to read the 2023 Edition of the Offshore Wind Market Report.

Land-Based Wind An electrifying 8,511 MW of U.S. land-based wind capacity was installed in 2022—that’s enough energy to power 2.5 million American homes. In fact, wind energy provides 10% of electricity nationwide. Oh, and wind turbines are getting bigger and more powerful, keeping wind energy cost-competitive. The average height of these new turbines is taller than the Statue of Liberty!  Read up on the continued evolution of increasing turbine size, and then be sure to check out the 2023 edition of the Land-Based Wind Market Report.

Distributed Wind The U.S. distributed wind sector—which includes power from wind turbines installed near where it will be used—added 29.5 MW of new capacity, bringing the total capacity to 1,104 MW. This type of wind serves all kinds of customers from all over the country, using over 90,000 wind turbines across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Island, and Guam.  Read an article about how distributed wind energy is expanding as a clean energy resource for U.S. communities and download the 2023 edition of the Distributed Wind Market Report to learn more about this diverse type of renewable energy.

A Breezy Forecast

The growth demonstrated by all three reports is reassuring for the U.S. wind energy industry, and thanks to Inflation Reduction Act tax incentives, even greater growth is right around the corner. Stay tuned for more bright—and windy—news. 

In the meantime, refresh yourself with these breezy extras: 

• Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Wind Energy
• Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Distributed Wind
• Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Offshore Wind Energy
• How Much Power is 1 Gigawatt
• How Wind Energy Can Help Us Breathe Easier

Read the DOE press release.

For more information on these three new reports and other wind energy educational resources, visit our website.

Research & Development

Foundational WETO-Funded Research Inspired Modern Wind Turbine Blade Design

Two wind turbine blade innovations made wind power a higher performing, more cost-effective, and reliable source of electricity: a blade that can twist while it bends and blade airfoils (the cross-sectional shape of wind turbine blades) with a flat or shortened edge. These WETO-funded innovations have become essential to the wind turbine designer's toolbox.

Events

U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research Project

Webinar: Sept. 13, 2023, 9–10 a.m. PT, Virtual

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research project, an effort directed by WETO, is hosting a free, public webinar on Environmental Considerations for Nearshore Ecosystems from Cable Landfall, Navigation, and Port Development for Offshore Wind Energy. During the webinar, speakers from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Aspen Environmental Group, and Moffatt & Nichol will present on the environmental considerations needed for the development of offshore wind energy and its potential effects on nearshore ecosystems, including effects from cable landfall, navigation, and port development.

EERE STEMtember Sessions: Careers in Clean Energy–Renewable Energy

Webinar: Sept. 21, 2023, 12 pm–2 pm ET, Virtual

This September, join the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) for a weekly virtual career fair, the STEMtember Sessions: Careers in Clean Energy, a networking opportunity during which EERE team members will discuss their diverse roles in renewable energy, sustainable transportation and fuels, energy efficiency, and business operations. You do not need a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) to work in clean energy, so come with questions and learn about how you can become a Clean Energy Champion.

American Floating Offshore Wind Technical Summit 2023

Conference: Sept. 26–27, 2023, Portland, ME, and Virtual

This 2-day conference brings together industry, academia, and floating offshore wind experts from around the world to chart a course for domestic floating offshore wind energy. Whether in person or virtually, join this event to participate in discussions on the technical, regulatory, and permitting challenges that must be addressed to unlock floating offshore wind energy’s significant potential. Speakers will include DOE’s Nate McKenzie and Monica Maher. 

Check out the rest of our events list that may be of interest to wind energy technology communities! 💨

In Case You Missed It

• DOE released a first-of-its-kind database that catalogs specific materials, such as minerals and other basic components, used to build wind turbines, as well as solar panels.
• DOE released its critical materials assessment and intends to fund the production, reuse, and recycling of critical minerals and materials.
• A new R&D webpage highlights the work WETO is doing to address the potential impacts of operating wind turbines on defense and civilian radar systems. 
• WETO posted a new article on wind energy integration studies that helped launch wind energy to the energy mainstream.