Jul 15, 2009
Congress urged to fund more wind studies
San Antonio Express-News
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy
WASHINGTON — The U.S. could dramatically boost electricity generated from wind by investing in research on lighter turbines, taller towers and more efficient generators, energy experts from Texas and New York told a House panel Tuesday.
There must be financial support for research aimed at improving “performance and reliability,” said John Saintcross, a program manager with the New York State Energy Research and Development Corp.
Andy Swift, the director of the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University, said federal spending to develop more efficient technologies could combat the reliability and cost problems with wind power.
Although the Energy Department has estimated wind resources could power the country several times over, wind energy now accounts for just 2 percent of the nation's electricity supplies.
The Energy Department last year predicted wind could provide 20 percent of the nation's electricity portfolio by 2030.
The House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment is weighing a bill sponsored by Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., that would create an $800 million program for wind energy research and development.
It would funnel $200 million a year into research aimed at improving efficiency and cutting costs of wind energy systems.
Saintcross said that as wind turbines and rotary blades get bigger, research may be needed in designing component pieces that can be fabricated and installed on site, rather than being trucked across the country.
Swift said research is needed to improve forecasting — and reliability — of intermittent wind. Current forecasting is usually based on data collected about 10 meters above the ground — far below the typical turbine height of 80 meters.
Comments
No comments yet.
Post a Comment
Please keep your comments relevant to the post. Inappropriate or promotional comments may be removed. Email addresses are required to confirm comments but will never be displayed.