Field Research Validation Sites
The National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) field-research site offers six wind turbines and four fully instrumented meteorological (met) towers that can support up to 32 possible field-research sites and 12 data sheds.
Many industry partners choose to work with the NWTC because of the ability to perform research validation on full-scale wind turbines under extreme conditions, including hurricane-force winds.
Features
- Turbine control systems
- Electrical distribution systems
- Telecommunications systems
- Variable-frequency drives
- Video monitoring
- Cooling systems
- Elevators
- Uninstrumented met towers
- Parts and specialized tool storage
Capabilities
- Study component controls, including new advanced actuators and sensors
- Look-ahead capability that can provide "feedforward control"
- High-bandwidth, independent pitch control of the Controls Advanced Research Turbine (CART) blades
- Variable-speed or constant-speed operation
- Address such issues as wind power plant underperformance and premature turbine component failure
- Data acquisition systems, instrumentation, and calibration
- Data analysis and systems and tools processing
Megawatt-Scale Research Turbines
U.S. Department of Energy 1.5-MW Turbine
- Model: GE 1.5-SLE
- Tower height: 80 meter (m)
- Rotor diameter: 77 m
- U.S. Department of Energy-owned; to be used for research and education
- Turbine commissioned in September 2009
Siemens 2.3-MW Turbine
- Model: SWT-2.3-108
- Tower height: 80 m
- Rotor diameter: 108 m
- Siemens owned and operated
- Multiyear cost-shared research and development (R&D) cooperative research and development agreement for aerodynamics and rotor performance
- 101-m turbine commissioned in October 2009; rotor change to 108 m in November 2013
GE 3-MW Turbine
- Model: ECO 110
- Tower height: 90 m
- Rotor diameter: 110 m
- GE (formerly Alstom) owned and operated
- Multiyear funds-in-agreement for testing and R&D
- 100-m turbine commissioned in April 2011; rotor changed to 110 m in February 2013
Gamesa 2-MW Turbine
- Model: G97
- Tower height: 90 m
- Rotor diameter: 97 m
- Gamesa owned and operated
- Multiyear funds-in-agreement for testing and R&D
- Class III turbine commissioned in November 2011; removed and replaced with G97 Class II machine and commissioned in March 2013
CARTs
CART2 600-kW Turbine
- Model: Westinghouse
- Blades: 2
- Hub height: 36.6 m
- Rotor diameter: 42.6 m
- Extensively instrumented
CART3 600-kW Turbine
- Model: Westinghouse
- Blades: 3
- Hub height: 36.6 m
- Rotor diameter: 42.6 m
- Extensively instrumented
Met Towers
- One 135-m and one 80-m met tower
- Research-grade inflow measurements at multiple heights
- Reference for ground-based lidar and sodar comparison
- Characterize atmospheric conditions that affect turbine responses; support atmospheric science R&D
- Record the wind speed (sonic and cup anemometers), direction, temperature, humidity, and pressure used to derive wind shear, turbulence, air density, and stability.
Accreditations
The NWTC is accredited to perform the following research validation in accordance with international standards:
- Acoustic noise to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61400-11 and Measuring Network of Wind Energy Institutes (MEASNET)
- Power performance to IEC 61400-12-1 and MEASNET
- Mechanical loads to IEC 61400-13
- Power quality to IEC 61400-21and MEASNET
- Duration testing to IEC 61400-2
- Safety and function to IEC 61400-2 and IEC 61400-22.
Small- and Mid-Sized Turbines Field-Tested at the NWTC
Small- and mid-sized wind turbine brands validated at the NWTC have included:
- Abundant Renewable Energy
- Atlantic Orient Corporation
- Bergey Windpower
- Endurance Wind Power Inc.
- Entegrity Wind Systems Inc.
- Gaia-Wind Ltd.
- Mariah Resources Inc.
- Southwest Windpower
- Pika Energy
- Xzeres Wind
- Northern Power Systems.
Multimegawatt Turbines Field-Tested at the NWTC
The following multimegawatt wind turbine brands and models are undergoing long-term field research validation at the NWTC:
- GE (ECO110—Alstom Legacy, 3 MW)
- Gamesa (G97, 2 MW)
- GE (GE 1.5 SLE, 1.5 MW)
- Siemens (2.3 MW).
See the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's fact sheet on field-research at the NWTC.
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