Spring 2024 Wind R&D Newsletter: We're Big Fans of Progress 🌬️

DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy sent this bulletin at 05/23/2024 02:11 PM EDT

May 23, 2024

In this Issue

The Spring 2024 edition of the Wind Research and Development (R&D) Newsletter highlights efforts by Department of Energy (DOE) national labs and industry partners that are helping the United States reach our clean energy goals.

Letter from the Wind Energy Technologies Office Director
Current Research and Development
WETO's Contributions to Wind Energy
DOE News
Funding News
Featured Publications

Letter from the Wind Energy Technologies Office Director

Man stands on stage holding a microphone.

In the seven months since I took on the role of director, I have been learning each day about the true depth and breadth of the research supported by WETO. Needless to say, I have been impressed by just how many projects there are across the research spectrum—and across the country—to advance wind energy for the benefit of the nation.

Read the letter.

Current Research and Development

Gathering Data to Understand the Interactions Between Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy

The Wildlife and Offshore Wind project studies wildlife and their behavior around offshore wind energy projects under construction in order to ensure peaceful coexistence.

Top view of a whale in a large body of water.

Wind Technology Testing Center Upgraded to Test Longer Turbine Blades

Thanks to funding from the Wind Energy Technologies Office, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Wind Technology Testing Center (WTTC) is testing next-generation wind turbine blades.

New Wind Resource Database Includes Updated WIND Toolkit

The Wind Resource Database is an online tool that captures information about atmospheric forces that affect how wind turbines perform and how much energy they capture.

Turbine in background of field and plants.

Close-up view of a wind turbine with serrated edges.

Wind Farms of the Future Will Be More Powerful and Quieter

A new Berkley Lab analysis finds that despite an expected future reduction in the number of turbines per power plant, the total estimated annual energy output of wind plants will increase due to larger, more powerful wind turbines.

Meet the Researcher Working to Solve Wind Energy Challenges—Before They’ve Happened

While studying mechanical engineering at the University of Texas in Austin, Paquette became interested in structural components and composite materials. Although he originally planned to pursue work in the aerospace industry, he jumped at the opportunity to work at Sandia on wind turbine blades—the largest composite structures in the world.

A man with safety goggles and a safety vest works on a wind turbine blade in a warehouse environment.

Graphic of transmission tower and turbine.

Testing Tool Ensures Renewables and the Grid Are In Tune

With support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is helping grid operators and equipment manufacturers successfully adapt to the energy transition using the Grid Impedance Scan Tool.

Protecting Wind Energy Systems From Cyberattacks

An Idaho National Laboratory report takes the first comprehensive look at cyberattack risks that could jeopardize U.S. wind energy systems and real-world events that have affected wind energy systems and organizations around the world.

wind farm surrounded by animated beams of light.

WETO's Contributions to Wind Energy

WETO-funded research has been integral to the advancement of wind energy in the United States. Read our latest case studies in a series highlighting WETO’s historic contributions to wind energy, including how DOE teamed up with NASA to pioneer the modern U.S. wind industry, how an international collaboration led to invaluable wind industry standards, and how investing in blade and drivetrain testing facilities since the 1990s provided crucial knowledge to the ongoing expansion of commercial wind power.

An early, simple wind turbine with just two blades.

DOE News

The following is a curated list of wind energy news stories from DOE.

DOE Releases First-Ever Roadmap to Accelerate Connecting More Clean Energy Projects to the Nation's Electric Grid

Report details recommendations to streamline interconnection with near- to long-term solutions to add clean energy resources to the transmission grid and boost our clean energy economy.

DOE, USDA Launch Initiative to Help Farmers Reduce Costs with Underutilized Renewable Technologies as part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched a new initiative to help farmers cut costs and increase income using underutilized renewable technologies including smaller-scale wind projects.

DOE, Partners Kick Off Groundbreaking Initiative to Improve Accurate Forecasting and Ensure Sustainability of U.S. Offshore Wind Farms

Wind forecast improvement project will monitor weather, ocean, and wildlife data near active and proposed offshore wind farms off the east coast.

New Survey Examines Developer Views on Wind and Solar Siting

A recent survey from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory solicited information on the current state of siting across the country.

Grand Challenges Revisited: Wind Energy Research Needs for a Global Energy Transition

A new report for the International Energy Agency Wind Technology Collaboration Programme summarizes the findings of a meeting of global wind energy experts who identify the five Grand Challenges.

New Study Identifies Wind Energy Development’s Effects on Home Property Values

DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory published a study with new findings on the effects of wind energy development on home prices.

Funding News

The following is a curated list of announcements related to DOE wind energy funding opportunities.

U.S. Department of Energy Establishing National Center of Excellence to Accelerate Domestic Offshore Wind Industry

DOE announced it is investing $4.75 million to establish a new national center of excellence to accelerate reliable and equitable offshore wind energy deployment.

DOE and Innovation Fund Denmark Announce Upcoming $4 Million Opportunity to Advance Floating Offshore Wind

This proposed funding opportunity aims to improve mooring technologies and methods, which are used to secure floating platforms to the sea floor, for both the U.S. and Denmark.

U.S. Department of Energy Invests Nearly $8.4 Million to Advance Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs)

GETs maximize electricity transmission across existing systems to lower operating costs.

Funding Applications Now Being Accepted for Fluid Dynamics Research

WETO is partnering with the National Science Foundation to fund research focused on fundamental fluid dynamics associated with wind energy.

Featured Publications

Learn more about WETO’s research and development efforts by visiting its Key Publications and Resources page for the latest publications that showcase wind energy advancements and strategic documents that are propelling the industry forward. Additionally, click here to dive into all WETO-funded publications.

Explore previous editions of the R&D Newsletter or browse wind energy news by topic:

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