Wind Energy

Updated October 2009

Wind Energy

The Grid Simulation Laboratory in the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory studies the implementation of wind energy within the electric grid, largely through a collaboration with Spirae Inc., a privately held company based in Fort Collins.

Wind Engineering and Fluids Laboratory (WEFL)

The Wind Engineering and Fluids Laboratory (WEFL), formerly the Fluid Dynamics and Diffusion Laboratory, has been the center of excellence for fundamental and applied research in wind engineering and fluid dynamics for over 40 years. It is one of the international laboratories where the foundations of wind engineering were established. Determination and mitigation of wind effects on buildings and structures as well as dispersion of pollutants, using boundary-layer wind tunnels, are the main thrust areas of research and service activities at the laboratory.

Wind Turbines

A research group in Computer Science is beginning a collaboration with the NREL National Wind Technology Center to apply reinforcement learning to wind turbines as they transition between different modes of operation during wind speed fluctuations.

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