Doe Nrel Advanced Wind Turbine Development Program

The development of technologically advanced, high-efficiency wind turbines continues to be a high-priority activity of the US wind industry. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute), sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE), has initiated the Advanced Wind Turbine Program to assist the wind industry in the development of a new class of advanced wind turbines. The initial phase of the program focused on developing conceptual designs for near-term and advanced turbines. The goal of the second phase of this program is to use the experience gained over the last decade of turbine design and operation combined with the latest existing design tools to develop a turbine that will produce energy at $0.05 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in a 5.8-m/s (13-mph) wind site. Three contracts have been awarded, and two more are under negotiation in the second phase. The third phase of the program will use new innovations and state-of-the-art wind turbine design technology to produce a turbine that will generate energy at $0.04/kWh in a 5.8-m/s wind site. Details of the third phase will be announced in early 1993.