Wind Resource Estimation and Mapping at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed an automated technique for wind resource mapping to aid in the acceleration of wind energy deployment. The new automated mapping system was developed with the following two primary goals: 1) to produce a more consistent and detailed analysis of the wind resource for a variety of physiographic settings, particularly in areas of complexterrain; and 2) to generate high quality map products on a timely basis. Using computer mapping techniques reduces the time it takes to produce a wind map that reflects a consistent analysis of the distribution of the wind resource throughout the region of interest. NREL's mapping system uses commercially available geographic information system software packages. Regional wind resource mapsusing this new system have been produced for areas of the United States, Mexico, Chile, Indonesia (1), and China. Countrywide wind resource assessments are under way for the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, and Mongolia. Regional assessments in Argentina and Russia are scheduled to begin soon.