Open AccessAnnual Report of the Wind Characteristics Program Element for the Period April 1976 Through June 1977
Author(s) -
C.E. Elderkin,
J.V. Ramsdell
Publication year - 1977
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/1087581
Subject(s) - wind power , commercialization , work (physics) , site selection , environmental science , meteorology , engineering , environmental resource management , computer science , geography , business , mechanical engineering , marketing , political science , law , electrical engineering
The Wind Characteristics Program Element (WCPE) is a service element to provide meteorological information to other parts of the Wind Energy Conversion Program. In this role, the WCPE has as its general objective acceleration of the development, commercialization and utilization of reliable and economically viable wind energy conversion systems (WECS). This report discusses the work undertaken in the areas of design and performance evaluation, site selection, and presiting evaluation from April 1976 through June 1977. A systematic evaluation of wind descriptors has begun in the Design and Performance Evaluation Program Areas and is leading to the preparation of handbooks of meteorological information for use in design and performance evaluation. A conceptual framework has been established within the Site Selection Program Area that clearly defines the relationships between siting tools. The Presiting Evaluation Program Area is involved in the identification of large areas of high wind energy potential throughout the United States, and in the determination of wind characteristics related to the economic viability of wind energy conversion within these areas