Washington state-based DNV-Global Energy Concepts (GEC), eFormative Options LLC, and Energy Northwest will receive U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grants totaling nearly $570,000 to address wind power development challenges identified in DOE's 20% Wind Energy by 2030 report.
DNV-GEC's project, ‘Knowledge Boosting Program for New Wind Industry Professionals,’ will support DOE's 20% by 2030 goal by addressing the training needs of new workforce entrants into the wind industry.
The project includes the development of a training curriculum targeted at recent graduates of engineering or science programs; re-training technical professionals experienced in other industries; and providing guidance to business, government or policy-makers whose functions require a better understanding of wind energy's background, technology, performance, risks and future capabilities.
Industry partners for this project include Horizon Wind Energy LLC, Edison Mission Energy and John Deere Renewables.
eFormative Options LLC, a NW Energy Coalition member organization, will receive $200,000 to develop a Web-based analytic tool and guidebook to help utilities and policy-makers promote on-site wind generation. The project, ‘Power Through Policy: Best Practices for Cost-Effective Distributed Wind,’ will identify the most effective policies for making consumer-owned wind turbines more affordable.
eFormative's project partners include the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the North Carolina Solar Center, Windustry, Pathfinder Communications and Artisan Electric.
Energy Northwest's project, ‘20% Wind by 2030: Overcoming the Challenges,’ leverages the agency's half-century of experience of helping Washington's public power electric utility interests develop economically viable wind power assets to serve the needs of Northwest ratepayers.
Selection for the DOE grant program expands the agency's ability to promote wind power development within the public power community and advances development of reliable, affordable, environmentally responsible power.
SOURCES: DNV-Global Energy Concepts, eFormative Options LLC, Energy Northwest
