The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced six Wind Energy Regional Resource Centers, selected through a competitive process administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Working closely with the DOE and NREL's broader outreach and education programs, these centers will aim to provide accurate, impartial information about challenges facing wind deployment in their regions to aid in efforts to overcome or mitigate these challenges; use best practices in education and outreach to deliver this information to create an educated stakeholder community; and work with decision-makers to ensure they have the tools to make informed decisions about wind energy projects and related policies in their jurisdictions.
The resource centers and their operators are the following:
– Northeast Wind Resource Center, operated by the Clean Energy Group and Sustainable Energy Advantage (SEA).
"For our focus on offshore wind, we expect to work closely with state policymakers to ensure that the center provides the information and analysis that they need to advance offshore wind in the Northeast in the best way possible," says Lewis Milford, president of the Clean Energy Group.
Deborah Donovan, senior consultant of SEA, adds, "Sustainable Energy Advantage looks forward to working with DOE, NREL, and stakeholders from across the region to making the Northeast Wind Resource Center a forum that will support effective decisions about land-based wind power, which is a growing contributor to our energy mix."
– Southeast Regional Resource Center for Wind Energy, operated by the Southeastern Coastal Wind Coalition.
"The Southeastern RRC team has developed a strategic focus to specifically address the unique characteristics of the Southeast market," notes Brian O'Hara, president of the Southeastern Coastal Wind Coalition.
– Northwest Wind Resource and Action Center, operated by the Renewable Northwest Project.
– Four Corners Wind Resource Center, operated by the Utah Clean Energy Alliance.
– Midwest and Prairie Regional Wind Resource Center, operated by Windustry.
– America's Islanded Grids Resource Center, operated by the Renewable Energy Alaska Project and Island Institute and covering islanded communities across the U.S. and U.S. Territories.
