Texas Tech Participates in $4 Million Wind Research Project

Texas Tech’s Wind Science and Engineering Research Center (WISE) will participate in a $4.1 million research project from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

The award, given to Alstom Wind, is part of a larger DOE effort to lower the cost of energy and shorten the timeline for deploying offshore wind energy systems in the United States. Alstom, is partnering on the project with Texas Tech, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) National Wind Technology Center and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Laboratory for Ships and Platforms Flow.

The project will research and develop advanced control systems and integrated innovative sensors that increase energy production and lower the capital cost of offshore wind turbines, especially those based on advanced floating substructures.

“We are thankful for this opportunity from DOE to make a contribution in advancing offshore wind and look forward to working with our world-class partners, Alstom Wind, MIT and NREL,” said John Schroeder, WISE director and co-principal investigator on the project.

“The opportunity to collaborate with Alstom Wind, a major wind turbine designer and manufacturer, NREL and MIT, which are prominent players in wind energy development, will enable us to make an immediate impact on the wind energy industry,” said Delong Zuo, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering and co-principal investigator.

Big Contributions

Building upon Texas Tech’s expertise in understanding wind and its effects on structures, WISE will contribute to the project by further advancing the knowledge base of wind as well as the loading and performance of wind turbines subjected to various wind regimes. The outcome of the research can be used directly in the design of reliable and efficient large-scale offshore wind turbines and help make wind energy become a truly viable and sustainable energy source upon which the nation can depend.

"This is another wonderful example of our international collaboration in the wind energy space," said Taylor Eighmy, vice president for research at Texas Tech. "These sorts of corporate-federal-university collaborations are increasingly the norm and we are grateful for our three partners and our shared research vision. I thank Altsom Wind for the leadership with this project."

Alstom, a global leader in power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructures, has on-going research partnerships with Texas Tech and the National Institute of Renewable Energy (NIRE) in Lubbock.