06/04/2008 09:31 AM

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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: June 4, 2008

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New Report Finds the U.S. Leading in Wind Power Growth

For the third year in a row, the U.S was the fastest growing wind power market in the world in 2007, according to a new DOE report. The 2007 edition of DOE's "Annual Report on U.S. Wind Power Installation, Cost, and Performance Trends," released last week, found that $9 billion was invested in 5,329 megawatts of new U.S. wind power capacity in 2007, causing the total U.S. wind power capacity to increase by 46%.

The growing U.S. wind market spurred new investment in turbine and component manufacturing plants, with enough new and planned facilities to create more than 4,700 new U.S. jobs. The report notes that wind power accounted for 35% of all new U.S. electric generating capacity in 2007 and can now supply about 1.2% of the country's electricity needs. In addition, new transmission facilities under development throughout the country will allow the future development of another 200,000 megawatts of wind power.

Prepared by DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the annual report analyzes developments in the wind market, including trends in wind installations, turbine size, turbine prices, installed project costs, project performance, wind power prices, and cost comparisons between wind power and conventional generation. It also describes developer consolidation trends, current ownership and financing structures, and trends among major wind power purchasers.

The 2007 edition expands upon the 2006 study by also highlighting the growing importance of wind power to the nationâ€^TMs power mix and economy, the significant increases in the contribution of wind power to new capacity additions in the electric sector; the amount of wind power in utility systems; the size of wind projects; and the quantity of wind power capacity in various interconnection queues across the country. See the DOE press release and DOE's Wind and Hydropower Program Web site, or go directly to the full report (PDF 3.9 MB).

DOE to Work with Turbine Manufacturers to Expand U.S. Wind Power

DOE will work with six leading wind turbine manufacturers over the next 2 years with an eye toward achieving 20% wind power in the U.S by 2030. DOE announced the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with GE Energy, Siemens Power Generation, Vestas Wind Systems, Clipper Windpower, Suzlon Energy, and Gamesa Corporation on Monday.

Under the MOU, DOE and the six manufacturers will collaborate to gather and exchange information relating to five major areas: research and development related to turbine reliability and operability; siting strategies for wind power facilities; standards development for turbine certification and universal interconnection of wind turbines; manufacturing advances in design, process automation, and fabrication techniques; and workforce development. See the DOE press release, DOE's Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program Web site, and the recent report "20% Wind Energy by 2030: Increasing Wind Energy's Contribution to U.S. Electricity Supply" (PDF 3.95 MB).

In addition, DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has announced a number of wind technology projects, including a new state-of-the-art wind turbine blade test facility to be build in Ingleside, Texas. The Texas-NREL Large Blade Research and Test Facility will be capable of testing blades as long as 70 meters, or 230 feet. It will be built and operated through a partnership among NREL, DOE, and a state consortium led by University of Houston, with the university owning and operating the facility's buildings, DOE funding up to $2 million in capital costs, and NREL providing technical and operational assistance. The blade test facility is estimated to cost between $12 million and $15 million and should be completed by 2010. Located on the Gulf Coast, the Texas facility will complement a similar facility that is being built on the coast of Massachusetts.

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