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DOE OSTI2024

2022 Component Innovation Awardee: Windurance

Combining battery energy storage with distributed wind energy systems can increase production, ability to meet local electricity demands, interconnection capacity, and potential sales of surplus energy back to the grid, while reducing demand charges and the overall levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Energy storage options for distributed wind energy systems can vary widely in terms of power level and energy storage capacity, and their potential benefits depend on factors including wind resource, turbine design, connection requirements, use patterns, utility rates, and regulations. Windurance received a 2022 Competitiveness Improvement Project (CIP) funding award to add battery energy storage capabilities to the company's bidirectional DC converter. The energy storage component will complete a comprehensive portfolio of power conversion and control electronics that can be seamlessly integrated with distributed wind systems. The company received earlier CIP awards to fund prototype design and construction of wind turbine pitch actuators, inverters, and controllers.

CIP↗

DOE OSTI2021

Demonstration of Wake Steering Through Yaw Control in a Wind Plant Field Experiment: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-16-00629

Over the last few decades, wind energy has evolved into a large international industry involving major players in the manufacturing, construction, and utility sectors. Coinciding with the industry’s growth, significant innovation in the technology has resulted in larger turbines with lower associated costs of energy and more complex designs in all subsystems. However, as the deployment of the technology has grown and its role within the electricity sector become more prominent, so have the expectations of the technology in terms of performance, reliability, and cost. The industry currently partitions its efforts into separate paths for turbine design, plant design and development, finance, grid interaction and operation, mitigation of adverse community and environmental impacts, and other areas. One prominent area where this partition is evident is in wind turbine control. Traditionally, each wind turbine in a wind plant has been controlled separately – via its own internal controller using only its own sensors. However, wind turbines in a plant interact with each other through the plant-level fluid dynamics. Wake losses (due to upstream turbines extracting energy from the winds and “waking” downstream turbines) can be up to 10% or even 20% of the gross energy production (if each turbine experienced the free stream wind inflow to the plant). A series of studies and experiments have demonstrated that there is potential for improving energy output at existing plants through plant control methods which seek to optimize total wind plant energy production over the current “greedy” approach where each turbine maximizes its own production. Wake steering induced by yaw offsets (turning the turbine to be out of the plane perpendicular to wind inflow) for upstream turbines has shown significant promise in simulations and wind tunnel experiments. In simulation studies, annual energy production has been shown to increase by 2% or more depending on the particular aspects of the wind plant (turbine spacing, meteorological conditions, etc). This project seeks to demonstrate the potential of plant-level controls via wake steering at a commercial wind plant. This is an important step towards commercialization and industry adoption of this plant-level modeling and analysis capability.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Evaluating opportunity for distributed wind energy in rural and agricultural areas

Wind energy is among the most mature renewable energy technologies, accounting for 11% of the current US electricity generation in 2024, with the lowest average levelized cost. While it is known that substantial opportunity exists for further development, a key question has been where wind energy is best suited compared to other technologies. This study leverages an immense dataset of parcel-resolved technoeconomic potential for the contiguous United States, focusing on distributed wind (DW) energy—a configuration where one or more turbines, typically 30–60 m in height are used to satisfy nearby energy needs. The analysis is conducted at multiple spatial scales and considers land use, crop land, census, and incentive program data to determine the most opportune areas for market development. The results show that rural, agricultural and residential areas are most suited to DW. Connection type (in front of, or behind the meter) and regulations determine the best application, while siting constraints, economics, demand and the wind resource determines the optimal size of turbine.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Temporal complementarity of marine renewables with wind and solar generation: Implications for GB system benefits

Wave and tidal energy have the potential to provide benefits to power systems with high proportions of stochastic renewable generation. This is particularly applicable with wind and solar photovoltaics, as the offsetting of these renewable resources results in more reliable renewable generation. This study utilises ten metrics to quantify the temporal complementarity and supply-demand balancing requirements of the energy mix in Great Britain, to investigate the potential magnitude of these system benefits. Wave and tidal generation profiles are created using historical resource data and hydrodynamic models. The results show that the inclusion of wave and tidal generation creates a renewable energy mix which is more available under multiple conditions: throughout a year of operation; at times of peak demand; for multiple consecutive hourly time periods; and at times when wind and solar generation are not available. Three regional case studies also show that the inclusion of marine energy allows for improved regional supply-demand matching, reducing instances of energy shortage and excess and potentially relieving transmission congestion at particularly constrained locations within GB. Finally, the implications of these findings are discussed in terms of GB wholesale market operation, system balancing and system security.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

DOE OSTI2022

Simultaneous flow of zero-carbon and conventional fuel liquids through Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (Abstract)

The purpose of this CRADA is to address key technical challenges specific to the transport of ammonia, a promising carbon-free fuel and hydrogen-carrier, through crude oil pipelines. Specifically, the project seeks to develop novel technologies for preparing liquid ammonia/ hydrocarbon mixtures for the dual purpose of (i) pipeline transport, and (ii) developing advanced marine fuel blends. By demonstrating compatibility with the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System (TAPS) ammonia/oil blends may improve access to stranded natural gas and help overcome low-flow issues associated with declining oil productivity. In Alaska, this technology enhances the capabilities of TAPS allowing it to function as a statewide “Hydrogen Highway” for exporting green or blue ammonia. This is strategically important for Alaska which lacks statewide electrical transmission infrastructure but contains vast renewable and fossil resources located in remote regions with few local markets. Nationally, Alaska-sourced green (hydropower) or blue ammonia has the potential to improve reliability of a Pacific Northwest hydrogen storage hub as a hydrogen-carrier by helping to overcome seasonality of green hydrogen produced from solar or wind energy. Globally, this technology project has significant potential to improve the safety and efficacy of ammonia-rich fuel compositions for use in maritime propulsion and other mid-sized engines.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Simultaneous flow of zero-carbon and conventional fuel liquids through Trans-Alaska Pipeline System [Abstract]

08 HYDROGEN↗

NASA NTRS1997

Polar Wind in the Context of the Auroral Plasma Fountain for 2 to 8 RE

Operations of the POLAR Plasma Source Instrument have provided adequate observing time with controlled spacecraft potential to begin a 3D characterization of the polar wind as it exists in the context of the auroral plasma fountain. The principal periods of such polar wind observation to date have been 15-18 Apr. 96, 28 may 96, 14 Jun. - 6 Sep. 96, 17-29 Mar. 97, 29 May - 12 Jun. 97, 13-27 Aug. 97. Separate observations have been made near 2 RE geocentric in the south polar perigee passes and between 6-8 RE geocentric in the north polar apogee passes. Analyses of data from the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment during these periods are used to characterize the altitude, local time, and invariant latitude distribution of the polar wind. Data from these and other periods are used to establish the auroral plasma heating context within which the polar wind outflows exist. The available data will be used to address the temporal variability of the polar wind during the period of operations to date. Comparisons between the observations and a coupled fluid-semikinetic model are used to interpret the observed spatial structure and temporal variability.

Moore, T. E.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Benchmarking Near-Surface Winds in the HRRR Analyses Using Multisource Observations over Complex Terrain in the Southeastern United States

Wind energy plays a crucial role in sustainable power generation, yet its full potential in the southeast United States (SEUS) remains underexplored. This study advances wind resource assessment in the SEUS using existing regional modeling and multisource observations. We find that terrain complexity, influenced by orography and forest canopy, significantly impacts the accuracy of modeled wind speed. While the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model effectively simulates wind profiles over flat, nonforested terrain, larger errors are produced above forest canopies, and particularly for those stands in hilly and mountainous terrain where there are no observations aloft that could be used by HRRR’s data assimilation software. Seasonal variations, e.g., changes in the leaf area index, further complicate the relationship between terrain complexity and simulation errors. Here, our findings emphasize the critical need for comprehensive wind profile measurements, extending from below the canopy to height above the canopy and through the lower planetary boundary layer, to fully quantify model performance over and near forests, and for improving wind resource assessment, planning, and management. This study provides valuable insights not only for further model development but also for future field campaign deployment with the goal of further improving our understanding of wind resources in the region.

Complex terrain↗

NASA NTRS2007

The Spatial Variation of Polar Rain Electrons and its Cause

It is generally accepted that field aligned electrons in the solar wind can follow field lines connected to Earth and precipitate in the polar ionosphere where they are known as polar rain. Few-hundred eV, field-aligned electrons of the solar wind "strahl" carry the interplanetary heat flux moving out from the sun and these electrons precipitate in either the northern or southern hemisphere depending on the magnetic field direction. These electrons produce enhanced polar rain in one hemisphere or the other although weaker polar rain is usually produced in the opposite hemisphere by whatever electrons are moving in the opposite direction. Although much evidence exists for this simple free entry mechanism, it has also long been known that there are spatial variations in the energies and intensities of the precipitating electrons. The present work compares electron distribution functions measured by the ACE spacecraft in the solar wind with those measured by the DMSP spacecraft at 800 km altitude over the polar cap. It is found that shifting the DMSP distribution functions in energy by amounts ranging from 10's to a few hundred eV produces quite good agreement with simultaneous ACE measurements. Over most of the polar cap this DMSP energy shift must be positive to achieve this agreement, suggesting the electrons have been decelerated by a field aligned potential as they move from the solar wind to low altitudes. The largest shifts occur on the nightside and on the dawn or dusk side, with the latter depending on the plasma convection pattern which is controlled by the orientation of the IMF. Nearer the cusp the shift is smaller or even negative. Since more massive tailward flowing magnetosheath ions are unable io follow the field lines into the magnetotail like the electrons, a field aligned potential is expected to develop to exclude low energy electrons and prevent an excessive charge imbalance. Such a potential would also produce the deceleration of those electrons that reach low altitudes. This improved understanding of polar rain should increase the utility of polar rain measurements as a diagnostic of the magnetosphere magnetic field configuration.

Fairfield, D. H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Doppler lidar atmospheric wind sensors - A comparative performance evaluation for global measurement applications from earth orbit

A comparison is made of four prominent Doppler lidar systems, ranging in wavelength from the near UV to the middle IR, which are presently being studied for their potential in an earth-orbiting global tropospheric wind field measurement application. The comparison is restricted to relative photon efficiencies, i.e., the required number of transmitted photons per pulse is calculated for each system for midtropospheric velocity estimate uncertainties ranging from + or - 1 to + or - 4 m/s. The results are converted to laser transmitter pulse energy and power requirements. The analysis indicates that a coherent CO2 Doppler lidar operating at 9.11-micron wavelength is the most efficient.

Menzies, R. T.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Comparing wind turbine aeroelastic response predictions for turbines with increasingly flexible blades

Highly flexible blades are becoming more prevalent designs as a potential solution to the transportation challenges associated with large-scale wind turbine rotors. However, there is currently no quantitative definition of “highly flexible” blades. To further develop turbines with highly flexible blades, a precise definition of the term and accurate simulations of turbines with such blades are required. Assumptions made in the traditional aerodynamic model, Blade Element Momentum (BEM) theory, are violated in turbines with flexible blades. However, Free Vortex Wake (FVW) methods can more accurately model these turbine designs. Though more computationally expensive than BEM, FVW methods are still computationally tractable for use in iterative turbine design. The purpose of this work was to determine the blade flexibility at which BEM and FVW methods begin to produce diverging aeroelastic response results. This was accomplished by simulating the BAR-DRC reference turbine with increasingly flexible blades in a range of steady, uniform inflow conditions using OpenFAST, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s physics-based turbine engineering tool. Blade-tip deflections confirmed that BEM and FVW results diverge as blade flexibility increases. For the 212 m rotor diameter turbine used in this study, the two methods largely agreed for smaller blade deflections. But their results differed by an average of 5% when the out-of-plane blade-tip deflections exceeded 5% of the blade length and in-plane blade-tip deflections exceeded 1.25% of the blade length, with percent differences approaching 25% at the largest deflections.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1989

Further comparison of two synoptic surface wind and pressure analysis methods

The geostrophic stream and potential functions of Sangster and the derived flat pressure field of Pielke and Cram are further compared. A simple numerical experiment with an idealized mountain-atmosphere system compares the two methods and their sensitivity to lateral boundary conditions. The flat pressure field of Pielke and Cram is essentially equivalent to the stream-function of Sangster, although the two methods have different boundary condition formulations and resulting different sensitivities to these boundary conditions.

Cram, Jennifer M.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Defining the Wind Energy Workforce Gap

This report shares insights as to what the wind energy workforce gap is and why it exists, and how to inform industry, educational institutions, and the potential workforce so that they can reduce barriers and better connect the wind energy workforce through existing and novel pathways. The insights used in this report were collected from two web-based surveys, one designed for industry and the other designed for the potential workforce.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Distributed Wind Energy Futures Study

To better understand distributed wind opportunities in the United States, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory explored cost, performance, and valuation benchmarks necessary for distributed wind to achieve widespread commercial viability in the United States by 2035. Building on DOE's prior benchmark report "Assessing the Future of Distributed Wind: Opportunities for Behind-the-Meter Projects", the new Distributed Wind Futures Study employs higher-resolution data and new modeling techniques to highlight geographic trends in technical and economic potential and to compare the cost and performance of distribution-connected, megawatt-scale wind applications (referred to as "front-of-the-meter" applications) and behind-the-meter systems, thereby informing the case for investment. The report identifies the best locations and sectors for behind-the-meter and front-of-the-meter applications and provides data to inform the trade-offs consumers face when deciding between distributed wind and solar photovoltaic (PV).

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Distributed Wind Energy Futures Study [Slides]

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Using waste CO 2 from corn ethanol biorefineries for additional ethanol production: life‐cycle analysis

Abstract Corn ethanol plants generate high‐purity carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) while producing ethanol. If that CO 2 could be converted into ethanol by carbon capture and utilization technologies it would be possible to increase ethanol production more than 37% without additional corn grain inputs. Gas fermentation processes use microbes to convert carbon‐containing gases into ethanol and so have the potential to be used with the CO 2 from biorefineries for this purpose. However, as CO 2 utilization technologies for converting thermodynamically stable CO 2 are typically energy intensive, it is necessary to evaluate the related life‐cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (carbon intensities or CIs) to see whether there are actual emission reduction benefits. In this study, we evaluate the CIs of ethanol produced from high‐purity CO 2 in corn ethanol plants by gas fermentation plus electrochemical reduction. Our analysis shows that the sources of electricity and hydrogen are key drivers of CO 2 ‐based ethanol's GHG emissions. With wind electricity, the design cases show the potential of near‐zero CI ethanol (1.1 g CO 2 e/MJ), but that can increase to up to 331–531 g CO 2 e/MJ when today's U.S. Midwest electricity mix is used. To avoid the renewable electricity intermittency issue, we considered a power purchase agreement option using wind electricity 40% of the time and using the regional mix for the rest, which provides a 42% GHG emission reduction from the CI of gasoline. © 2020 The Authors and UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2023

The Impacts of Developing a Port Network for Floating Offshore Wind Energy on the West Coast of the United States

Floating offshore wind is a pre-commercial industry with the potential for significant market growth on the U.S. West Coast in the near future; however, significant investment in port infrastructure will be required to enable the industry to progress from demonstration projects to efficient and cost effective commercial deployment. Developing a system of ports that can enable commercial-scale floating wind development on the West Coast of the United States will require significant levels of funding and coordination between governments, industry, ports, and local communities. A critical first step to strategically planning these resources is understanding the number of ports (and associated investment) that would be required to support different phases of offshore wind projects, including manufacturing, installation, and operation. But simply tallying up these costs is not sufficient to understand how a robust network of ports could impact local communities, the environment, workforce development, the offshore wind industry, and the West Coast region as a whole. In this report, the authors present analyses and perspectives related to port development in California, Oregon, and Washington. We describe the requirements for floating offshore wind ports that conduct manufacturing, installation, and/or service activities, and estimate the investment and time frames required to construct these ports at suitable locations in West Coast states. We develop indicators for the vulnerability and workforce accessibility of coastal communities and consider the potential risks and benefits associated with port development in these locations. We model how the proximity of an offshore wind project to installation and operations ports can impact the levelized cost of energy of the project, and then consider how these costs could be affected by local or foreign supply chains. We build upon these analyses to develop scenarios with increasing levels of offshore wind deployment and port assets on the West Coast and show how these ports could enable deployment goals to be achieved. Finally, we draw upon outreach with key floating wind stakeholders to summarize five key challenges that will need to be overcome to develop a comprehensive port network, and present potential approaches that could help to address these obstacles.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS2006

Relativistic MHD Simulations of Precessed Jets

Relativistic jets are considered to be generated by magnetic fields in a rotating black hole with accretion disk. Consequently, resulting outflows contain magnetic fields in them and control the propagation of jets. We have performed 3D relativistic MHD simulations to investigate the stability and structure of precessed MHD jets with large Lorentz factor by using a newly developed 3D GRMHD code. We have performed simulations of supermagnetosonic jets surrounded by a fast wind. The simulation results reveal complex pressure structure inside the RMHD jet. The structure is produced by a combination of the helical surface and body modes excited by the precession as predicted theoretically. The wavelength of the body mode which occurs in an internal helical twist is much shorter than that of the helical twist surface mode. We will present some comparisons between the RMHD simulations and theoretical predictions, and potential observables and discuss the effect of wind.

Mizuno, Y.↗