NREL and ECN collaborate to strengthen R&D in Wind Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and ECN signed a Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) to strengthen their collaboration in the field of wind energy research.

This CRADA strengthens the partnership between the two R&D centers and is based on a long standing cooperation in wind energy research that dates back to the 1980’s. The CRADA formalizes this cooperation and gives opportunities to share resources and broaden the information exchange.

NREL and ECN will collaborate on developments in wind energy research such as Advanced Controls of Integrated Turbine Systems (offshore and land-based), Turbine and Wind Farm Wake and Array Effects. The collaboration between NREL and ECN will enhance the efficiency of their R&D efforts by joint development and comparison of models and experimental data.

“This CRADA will lead to increased cooperation between NREL and ECN in the further development of wind energy systems,” said Fort Felker, Director of the National Wind Technology Center at NREL.  “By sharing knowledge and working together, we will increase the scope and pace of our contributions to this important technology.”

“I expect that the quality of the combined ECN and NREL research will prosper when joining the knowledge and research infrastructures of both institutes, said Aart van der Pal, Director of ECN Wind Energy.  “We are looking forward to the follow up of this agreement.”

About the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

About ECN
ECN is the largest energy research institute in the Netherlands. It has a strong international position in the areas of Wind Energy, Solar Energy, Biomass, Energy Efficiency and Policy Studies. With and for the market, we develop knowledge and technology that enable a transition to a sustainable energy system. ECN focuses its research on sustainable energy generation to develop safe, efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly energy systems. ECN also conducts research on future opportunities and economic backgrounds related to energy. ECN has offices in Petten, Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Wieringermeer, Brussels and China. More information can be found at the ECN website.

CRADA
The CRADA covers a wide range of research areas. The following subjects are identified in the CRADA: Aerodynamics and Acoustics, Design Code Advancement and Validation, Offshore Wind Technology Development and Analysis, Advanced Controls of Integrated Turbine Systems (offshore and land-based), Turbine and Wind Farm Wake and Array Effects, Grid and System and Integration, Land-based and Offshore Turbine Cost Analysis, Meteorology and Resource Assessment, Component Reliability, Integrated Design and Systems Engineering.

Contact
For more information, please contact:
ECN, Aart van der Pal, a.vanderpal@remove-this-part-ecn.nl , phone: +31 224 56 4346

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