Huge wind power R&D starts at NREL

Wind Power Research and Development

Wind power is likely to be the most powerful force behind President Barack Obama's renewable energy plans, as he looks to make America the largest producer and exporter of green power.

The two major components in the success of the wind power sector are ensuring we have the sufficient infrastructure in place to transport the electricity from place to place without wasting it, and having necessary research and development in place to make sure the future of wind energy manufacturing and construction is both cleaner and more cost effective.

A huge step in the right direction has been taken by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at its National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) in Colorado, where, alongside Siemens Energy, the organization "flipped the switch" starting the blades on a Siemens 2.3 megawatt wind turbine installed as part of a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) for testing turbine aerodynamics, structure and reliability.

"State-of-the-art wind turbine"

NREL Director Dan Arvizu said: "The state-of-the-art wind turbine you see before us is the focal point for the largest and most significant government-industry wind power R&D project ever to be undertaken.

"Under the cooperative research and development agreement we have in place, Siemens Energy, NREL and the US Department of Energy will put this 2.3MW turbine through all of its paces, in all kinds of conditions, in a rigorous testing regime that will continue for a minimum of three years, at a shared cost of $14 million."

The main purpose of the joint NREL-Siemens research is to fully fully understand the aerodynamics of the new, larger land-based machines. Under the CRADA, researchers will test the turbine and all of its features over a period of three years. Tests will include a full range of real-world operating conditions, including severe weather.

To split the cost of the $14 million research program, Siemens will contribute $9 million and NREL $5 million.

Capture more of the wind's energy

There are many similarities between the new turbine and others actually in place generating electricity, but the Siemens wind turbine is a late-stage prototype that features a new blade designed to capture more of the wind's energy without increasing the loads that can cause wear on the other turbine parts.

It is hoped the turbine will provide performance data such as aerodynamics, power characteristics, vibration monitoring and system fatigue.

The project will benefit the wind energy industry in its attempts to enhance the reliability and performance of utility-scale commercial wind turbines. If achieved, this will enable companies to improve its manufacturing processes - another factor that will help continue make the sector more cost-effective as a whole.

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