Recently, the Department of Energy (DOE) launched one of the largest land-based wind turbines in the U.S. The turbine is the centerpiece of a multi-year project to study the performance and reliability of a new class of large, land-based machines—in what will be the biggest government-industry research partnership for wind power generation ever undertaken.
The DOE worked with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Siemens Energy Inc. (NYSE:SI) to design and construct the new 2.3 megawatt wind turbine at NREL's National Wind Technology Center. The turbine is mounted atop on a 262-foot tower and fitted with a 331-foot-diameter rotor.
Siemens and NREL will use the device to test basic turbine characteristics and verify new performance enhancing features over three years. Testing will include a full range of real-world conditions, including severe weather. The new turbine will also help NREL generate its own clean electricity; surplus energy to be sold to the local utility grid.
Researchers are also interested in reducing turbine installation costs. They will investigate foundations for larger wind turbines, which can weigh 400-800 tons, and, with Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES), they will study the design and performance of turbine foundations, with the aim of increasing their reliability. The project will monitor the weather through a special meteorological tower in order to measure the effect of various weather conditions on the turbine’s performance and lifespan.
This turbine project is part of a coordinated wind research program that is supported by DOE's Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development.
Alison Pruitt is a freelance writer/editor living near Washington DC. She has written about a variety of issues, including education, healthcare, IT, the arts, and energy/environment -- and has worked with the U.S. Department of Energy. She has a B.A. from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in English Literature from Rutgers University.
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