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November 2020
NREL Invites U.S. Manufacturers To Help Advance Distributed Wind Technologies
NREL has issued a call to action for U.S. manufacturers of small- and medium-sized wind turbines by issuing a notice of intent under the Competitiveness Improvement Project to allow companies to prepare project ideas and teams in advance of a request for proposals planned for release in early 2021.
Drivetrain Reliability Collaborative Seeks Gearbox Failure Causes, Solutions
NREL and Argonne National Laboratory researchers have teamed with industry partners such as SKF, Winergy, General Electric, and Afton Chemical to understand the causes of axial cracking, create a design life equation that accounts for it, and develop and validate solutions to reduce this and other causes of gearbox failure.
October 2020
Matchmaking Challenge: Wind Workforce Research Helps Bridge Gap Between Employers and Applicants
Wind energy industry employment grew more than 50% over 5 years, and yet, 68% of wind energy employers have difficulty filling entry-level jobs, and 83% of students or recent graduates say it is hard to find a position in wind energy. This wind workforce gap is the subject of a recent NREL survey.
Wind Energy and Wildlife Share Future in the Skies and Seas
NREL researchers are collaborating with academic, conservation, regulatory, and industry partners to understand the potential effects of offshore wind installations on the environment while maintaining optimal energy production.
Data Show Big Gains for Offshore Wind
Global installed offshore wind capacity reached 27,064 MW in 2019—a 19% increase from the previous year. This and other trends can be found in the "2019 Offshore Wind Technology Data Update," released by NREL on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Energy Technologies Office.
Updated OpenOA Software Improves Energy Production Predictions To Reduce Investment Risk
A new version of OpenOA has been released, which includes features designed to help wind plant operators identify and analyze the different factors that drive wind plant performance.
Wind Workforce Webinar Series Offers Insights, Information, and Solutions
To help the wind industry recruit the best and brightest and to provide students with the essential resources to set them on a path toward a rewarding career in the wind energy workforce, NREL, in partnership with the American Wind Energy Association, hosted a three-part Wind Workforce Webinar Series as part of American Wind Week.
News Release: R&D 100 Awards Honor Six NREL Innovations
R&D World magazine today presented NREL with four of its annual R&D 100 Awards for research innovations. In addition to the R&D 100 winners, two additional NREL technologies were given Special Recognition Awards.
September 2020
Renewables Rescue Stability as the Grid Loses Spin
Across the world, renewable power is displacing traditional generation, but can renewables also replace the critical stability functions that go with it? NREL studies are confirming in the field and on live power systems that solar, wind, and hybrid power plants can provide their own source of grid stability—potentially unlike anything currently on the grid.
NREL Selects U.S. Manufacturers To Develop Next-Generation Distributed Wind Technologies
Seven U.S. manufacturers selected to enter into negotiation to receive DOE Competitiveness Improvement Project awards, designed to accelerate deployment of small- and medium-sized wind turbines across the country and lower the cost of energy from distributed wind.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025