Distributed Wind Energy Technology
The Wind Energy Program's Distributed Wind Technology research is working to meet growing consumer demands for small turbines (up to 100 kilowatts) for residential and small business applications; mid-sized turbines (100 kilowatts to 1 megawatt) for farms, ranches, and small industry; and locally owned community projects using larger turbines tied to distribution lines. This page describes the program's distributed wind energy research goals, activities, and some of its recent project highlights.
Goal
The goal of the program's distributed wind energy activities is to expand the number of distributed wind turbines (1 kilowatt or larger) deployed in the U.S. market fivefold from a 2007 baseline (2,400 units). Activities to support this goal include providing technical support and independent testing of small turbines to ensure good credible and reliable products are available in the United States market.
Research Project Highlights
These are some of the key research project highlights from the Wind Energy Program's research in distributed wind energy technology.
Independent and Testing Activities
To help industry provide consumers with more small wind turbine systems certified for safety and performance, the Wind Program launched an independent small wind test project in 2007. The primary objective of this activity is to test commercially available small wind turbine systems that have a high probability of success in the U.S. market over the next several years. The availability of reliable small wind turbines will support the program goal of increasing the number of small wind turbines installed in the United States 5-fold by 2015.
Prototype Development
The Wind Energy Program has worked with several small wind industry partners to develop commercially available award-winning small and mid-sized wind generation systems. In 2000, DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) received and R&D 100 Award for its contribution to the development of the Northern Power Systems (NPS) NorthWind 100/20 wind turbine. The NorthWind 100/20 wind turbine is a state-of-the-art wind turbine designed for operation in remote, cold-climate conditions. By the end of 2007, 11 of these turbines had been installed and 10 more were sold and awaiting installation. Since then, NPS has reconfigured its 100-kW cold weather turbine for agricultural and community applications in temperate climates. The company began testing its new prototype at the NREL in 2007.
Southwest Windpower has been working with the program for the past several years to develop a 1.8-kW wind energy generator called the Skystream. In 2006, Southwest Windpower received a Best of What's New Award from Popular Science for its new wind generator, and it was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the "Best Inventions 2006." Since the company began commercial production of the Skystream in 2007, it has sold more than 1,000 units.
The program also worked with Windward Engineering to design and test a 4.25-kW machined called the Endurance. The company began commercial production of the machine in 2008.