Research Resources

NREL Releases Estimate of National Offshore Wind Potential  (2010): This report summarizes the offshore wind resource potential for the contiguous United States and Hawaii, as of May 2009. This assessment has evolved over multiple stages as new regional meso-scale assessments became available, new validation data were obtained, and better modeling capabilities were implemented. To read the report, click here.

DOE Releases Comprehensive Report on Offshore Wind Power in the US (2010): This new report, "Large-Scale Offshore Wind Power in the United States: Assessment of Opportunities and Barriers," includes a detailed assessment of the Nation's offshore wind resources and offshore wind industry, including future job growth potential.  The report also analyzes the technology challenges, economics, permitting procedures, and the potential risks and benefits of offshore wind power deployment in U.S. waters. To read the report, clickIEA Wind Energy 2009 Annual Report (2010): The report presents the latest information on domestic and international wind generation capacity, national incentive programs, progress toward national objectives, benefits to national economies, research and development results, and issues affecting turbines, market growth, and costs of projects. To download the report, click here.

2009 Wind Technologies Market Report (2010): Despite grim predictions at the close of 2008, the U.S. wind power industry experienced yet another record year in 2009, once again surpassing even optimistic growth projections from years past. To read the report, click here.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Wind R&D Success Stories (2010): NREL's wind energy research and development efforts and the National Wind Technology Center have contributed to numerous successes for the wind industry. In addition to helping its industry partners develop commercially successful wind turbines, NREL has developed award-winning components and modeling software. The Laboratory also engages in deployment activities that help schools, communities, and utilities understand the benefits of wind energy and how it can be successfully integrated into our nation's electrical system to provide for a cleaner, more secure energy future. To read the stories, click here.

Multi-Megawatt Turbine Research (2010): The two largest wind turbines ever erected at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's National Wind Technology Center towered into the sky in the fall of 2009. The US Department of Energy puchased the FE 1.5SLE turbine for long-term wind energy research and development activities. The DOE 1.5 allows NWTC and industry partners to conduct research to improve performance and reliability. To read more on this research, click here.

National Wind Technology Center: Environment and Siting (2010): The national Renewable Energy Laboratory's National Wind Technology Center has been engaged in research related to wildlife impacts from wind energy development since the early 1990's. Beginning with fatalities to reports in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area in California, the NWTC has focused on understanding how and why wildlife, particularly birds and bats, are impacted by wind turbines and developing ways to avoid and minimize such impacts. To read the report, click here.

Status of Centralized Wind Power Forecasting in North America (2009): The rapid growth in installed wind power capacity has led to an increased interest in wind power forecasting. Wind forecasting is widely seen as a pre-requisite for integrating larger amounts of wind power, in minimizing operating impacts of wind power, and providing critical information to system operators to help maintain grid reliability. Wind forecasting is also seen as an important tool for minimizing the costs of integrating more wind power. To read this study on wind energy development, click here.

Increasing Wind Energy's Contribution to U.S. Electric Supply (2009): In 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy published a report that examines the technical feasibility of using wind energy to generate 20% of the nation's electricity demand by 2030. The report, "20% Wind Energy by 2030: Increasing Wind Energy's Contribution to the U.S. Electricity Supply," includes contributions from DOE and its national laboratories, the wind industry, electric utilities, and other group. The report examines the cost, major impacts, and challenges associated with producing 20% wind energy or 300 GW of wind generating capacity by 2030. To read the report, click here.

Additional Wind Energy Resources:

• Texas Wind Energy Maps
• U.S. Wind Energy Projects - Texas
• Wind Energy Maps by State
• Wind Energy Educational Programs and Training
• Installed Wind Energy Capacity by State
• Installed U.S. Wind Capacity and Wind Project Locations
• Fifteen Case Studies: Public Power Investments in Wind
• U.S. Offshore Wind Energy: A Path Forward
• Cape Wind
• Michigan's Offshore Wind Potential
• Great Lakes Wind Energy Center Feasibility Study
• Selected Publications on Wind Issues, DOE/NREL
• Sandia National Lab Wind Links
• American Wind Energy Association
• AWEA Publications
• AWEA Wind Energy Links
• Small Wind Electric Systems: A US Consumer's Guide
• NREL Wind Energy Curtailment Case Studies, May 2008 - May 2009
• Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study
• Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study, Jan. 2010
• Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study: Executive Summary and Project Overview, January 2010