The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced $2 million intended to help efficiently harness wind energy using taller towers. These projects will help strengthen U.S. wind turbine component manufacturing, reduce the cost of clean and renewable wind energy, and expand the geographic range of cost-effective wind power in the U.S.

In the northeastern, southeastern and western U.S., wind conditions near the ground are often low or turbulent, limiting the amount of electricity generated from wind energy. Taller wind turbines can take advantage of the stronger, more consistent winds available at greater heights, thus increasing the number of locations that can cost-effectively produce renewable wind energy. 

While utility-scale wind turbines in operation today average 90 m, projects supported by this funding will reportedly engineer design concepts for fabricating and installing turbine and tower systems with a minimum hub height of 120 m.

For more information, visit http://energy.gov.