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Weekly Seminar: Fall 2009

Date: October 30

Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Maryland Hall 110
Speaker: Mike Robinson, Deputy Director, NREL National Wind Technology Center
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Boulder CO)
Title:"Wind Energy Technology Development and Deployment in the US – 20% by 2030"

Abstract

The presentation will examine wind technology development requirements necessary to support the 20% scenario envisioned in DOE’s 20% wind by 2030 roadmap.  A brief overview of wind turbine technology, current US deployment status, and the technology performance assumptions used in achieving the 20% wind deployment scenario will be reviewed.  Technology options for achieving DOE’s deployment goals as well as existing technology gaps and R&D opportunities will be addressed.  As time permits, synergies between ocean wave and current technology development and offshore wind will also be discussed.

Speaker background: Mike Robinson has been at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for over 15 years and currently serves as the Deputy Director of the National Wind Technology Center.  The NWTC has been the leading US institute in wind technology development for over 25 years and was recently selected to lead a marine and hydrokinetic ocean technology development center under DOE’s Wind and Hydropower Program. The NWTC has more than 70 fulltime technical staff members including scientists, engineers, economists, and analysts involved in a broad spectrum of wind and ocean research activities that address basic and applied research needs.  Dr. Robinson also has a graduate faculty appointment at the University of Colorado and remains actively involved in unsteady fluid dynamics research.  In 2008, he was the lead author of the Wind Turbine Technology chapter in DOE’s 20% Wind Energy by 2030 report that establishes the roadmap for domestic wind development in the US.