NOAA Taking Lead Role in Renewable Energy Meeting
The American Meteorological Society is addressing the important roles that the atmospheric science community can serve in the transition to more renewable energy usage at their summer meeting in Norman, Oklahoma. ESRL's Betsy Weatherhead, University of Colorado (CIRES) and Richard Eckman, NASA, are chairing this portion of the meeting, which runs from August 10-13, with the afternoon of August 12 and the morning of August 13 addressing renewable energy. In addition to a strong NOAA presence, representatives from NCAR, DOE, and industry will attend.
Industry has been clear in the recent past that they are looking for NOAA to take a lead with long-term monitoring of the boundary layer and improved forecasting. This meeting will focus on addressing some key questions like: What are the pressing needs of this industry? and How can the various sectors of our community work together synergistically to meet these needs? Designed to explore these issues, this meeting should set the stage for a broader community discussion.
As renewable energy becomes a part of the nation's and world's planning and infrastructure, the importance of atmospheric sciences is coming to the center of many groups' attention. For energy companies to make use of wind and solar energy, they must have accurate forecasts and a strong understanding of climatologies. Without accurate forecasts, coal and nuclear plants need to stay active to assure a continuous source of electricity. These requirements bring the focus on how NOAA, DOE, academia, and industry will meet these pressing needs.
Contact information
Name: Betsy Weatherhead
Tel: 303-497-6653
Betsy.Weatherhead@noaa.gov