DOE Lab and Siemens Flip the Switch on Giant Wind Turbine

DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Siemens flipped the switch on a new 2.3 MW wind turbine this week as the centerpiece for a study of large land-based turbines. It is the largest partnership between government and industry undertaken to date for wind power production.

 

Wind energy is considered one of the top Smart Grid technologies to bring clean renewable energy into the U.S. power supply.

 

Siemens and NREL will test basic characteristics of the turbine and assess new performance-enhancing features of the pilot turbine over at least three years and possible longer, as dictated by their Cooperative Research and Development Agreement. The testing will incorporate a full range of real-world operating environments that includes severe weather conditions.

 

The project is located at NREL's National Wind Technology Center at the base of foothills south of Boulder, Colorado. Research at the center is focused on advanced wind energy technologies with the goal of helping the utility industry reduce energy costs to make wind energy competitive with traditional sources of power.

 

The Siemens turbine is a giant. It is mounted on a 262-foot tower and equipped with a 331-foot diameter rotor—one of the largest deployed in the U.S. Testing will include structural and performance testing; modal, acoustics and power quality testing; aerodynamic testing; and turbine performance enhancements.

 

Researchers also are looking at ground support requirements for the massive turbine, which can weigh in at 400 to 800 tons. NREL and Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES) entered into a separate but coordinated agreement to examine design and performance of turbine foundations to enhance the reliability of non-turbine components and to reduce the cost of installing the turbines.

 

A new meteorological tower near the turbine will include instruments to collect information on wind, temperature, dew point, precipitation and other atmospheric elements that can affect the performance and longevity of wind turbines.

  

   DOE news release

   Smart Grid company profile: Siemens