http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/wind_energy/ Wind Energy Information. From offshore wind turbines to understanding wind turbulence, learn all about using the wind to our advantage. Also, wind testing buildings. en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/wind_energy/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715165441.htm Rock Port Missouri, with a population of just over 1,300 residents, has announced that it is the first 100% wind powered community in the United States. Four wind turbines supply all the electricity for the small town. Rock Port's 100% wind power status is due to four wind turbines located on agricultural lands within the city limits of Rock Port (Atchison County). The city of Rock Port uses approximately 13 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year. It is predicted that these four turbines will produce 16 million kilowatt hours each year. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715165441.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709110842.htm More than ever before, building design and construction can be significantly improved to reduce wind pressures on building surfaces and to help better resist high winds and hurricanes in residential or commercial construction, said one architecture professor. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709110842.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080703132928.htm Swimmers around the world are breaking records this year like never before, including at this week's U.S. Olympic trials. Some attribute it to extensive training as athletes prepare to compete at this summer's games in Beijing. Others say one factor may be a new swimsuit -- a space-age swimsuit made of fabric tested at NASA. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080703132928.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080630104637.htm A team of researchers at the Ocean University of China has developed and tested a mobile lidar (light detection and ranging) station that can accurately measure wind speed and direction over large areas in real time -- an application useful for aviation safety, weather forecasting and sports. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080630104637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415162612.htm A new electric solar wind sail is almost ready for implementation. Electric sail propulsion might have a large impact on space research and space travel throughout the solar system. The electric solar wind sail uses the solar wind as its thrust source and therefore needs no fuel or propellant. The solar wind is a continuous plasma stream emanating from the Sun. Changes in the properties of the solar wind cause auroral brightening and magnetic storms, among other things. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415162612.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411103051.htm Technical structures may soon have their own nervous system. Developers and users expect this to bring greater safety, maintenance activities only when required, and a more efficient use of material and energy. Sophisticated systems of sensors, actuators and signal processing devices detect cracks, rust and other defects at an early stage in order to prevent damage -- especially in critical places that are difficult to reach. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411103051.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411151001.htm Researchers have created a novel safer lithium-ion battery. It is based on a polymer electrolyte, which is -- unlike the liquid electrolyte in conventional lithium-ion batteries -- not inflammable. Lithium-ion batteries supply the power for cell phones and PDAs, and larger devices such as laptops, cordless screwdrivers and lawnmowers are becoming increasingly dependent on this power source. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080411151001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318182728.htm NIST fire protection engineers turned an abandoned New York City brick high-rise into a seven-story fire laboratory last month to better understand the fast-moving spread of wind-driven flames, smoke and toxic gases through corridors and stairways of burning buildings. Sat, 22 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318182728.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306221723.htm Wind energy is currently regarded as the most important source of renewable energy. The optimal operation of the newest generation of large wind turbines is possible through the reliable measurement of the wind inflow characteristics. Experience has shown that the accurate power generation estimation based on wind speed is a challenging task. For large new turbine models, conventional met mast wind speed measurements are not feasible based on cost and technical considerations. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306221723.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229102053.htm A traditional windmill which drives a pump: that is the simple concept behind the combination of windmill/reverse osmosis process for seawater desalination. In this case, it involves a high-pressure pump which pushes water through a membrane using approximately 60 bar. This reverse osmosis membrane produces fresh water from seawater directly. The windmill is suited for use by, for instance, small villages in isolated, dry coastal areas. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229102053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229135215.htm Honey bees and hummingbirds can hover like helicopters for minutes at a time, sucking the juice from their favorite blossoms while staying aloft in a swirl of vortices. But the unsteady air flows they create for mid-air suspension -- which hold the secrets to tiny robotic flying machines -- have also been observed for the first time in the flight of larger and heavier animals, according to USC aerospace engineer Geoff Spedding. Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080229135215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080204172203.htm Natural flyers like birds, bats and insects outperform man-made aircraft in aerobatics and efficiency. Engineers are studying these animals as a step toward designing flapping-wing planes with wingspans smaller than a deck of playing cards. Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080204172203.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216142011.htm A measuring system deals with the question as to the effects different wind loads have on cable cars. Two researchers have thrown light on vibration-control problems, an area little researched up to now and were able to account for the occurrence of lateral vibrations from various wind conditions right through to meteorological calm. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071216142011.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215212425.htm Using smoke, laser light, model airplane propellers and a campus wind tunnel, researchers are trying to solve the airflow mysteries that surround wind turbines, an increasingly popular source of "green" energy. Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071215212425.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201424.htm Researchers have completed the first detailed study ever done to assess the potential for building wind farms offshore along the California coastline. Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201424.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207000819.htm Wind power need not be backed up by an equal amount of reserve power, according to new research. The production of wind power varies and is harder to forecast than the fluctuations in electricity demand. Adding large quantities of wind power to power systems is therefore challenging. The power system impacts of wind power were studied in depth. The results indicate that the frequently stated claim of wind power requiring an equal amount of reserve power for back-up is not correct. Sat, 08 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207000819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071121144907.htm Wind power, long considered to be as fickle as wind itself, can be groomed to become a steady, dependable source of electricity and delivered at a lower cost than at present, according to scientists. The key is connecting wind farms throughout a given geographic area with transmission lines, thus combining the electric outputs of the farms into one powerful energy source. Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071121144907.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071024102656.htm In the future everyone who is connected to the electricity grid will be able to upload and download packages of electricity to and from this network. At least, that is one of the transformations the electricity grid could undergo. Due to an increasing demand for electricity it is important to include all possible energy options (including coal and nuclear energy) in the scenario development. Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071024102656.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071019184844.htm As Texas' electric grid operator prepares to add power lines for carrying future wind-generated energy, an electrical engineer at is developing improved methods for determining the extent to which power from a wind farm can displace a conventional power plant, and how best to regulate varying wind power. Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071019184844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071010171345.htm A study of roofing damage incurred by Gulf Coast structures following Hurricane Katrina has found that buildings with steep sloped roofs held up better against the high-wind storm damage than buildings that had low sloped roofs. The study determined that steeper sloped roofs held up better due to the fact the building materials composing the roof structure defend better against wind uplift forces that occur during hurricanes. Sat, 13 Oct 2007 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071010171345.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070921071653.htm Wind power could become one of the greenest alternative energy resources we have, but only if replacement and recycling of windturbines is taken into account in assessing their environmental impact, say researchers. The removal and recycling phase of wind turbines has been identified as a blind spot in assessing their overall environmental impact. Sun, 23 Sep 2007 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070921071653.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070919174711.htm Calm excitement filled the ground control station. Engineers stared intently at their computer screens as the pilot, sitting next to them, flexed his fingers on the controls. Ground crew tending the aircraft finished putting away their equipment. Preparations for the first flight of the unmanned X-48B Blended Wing Body research aircraft were complete. Years of research, design, construction, wind tunnel and ground tests coalesced into this one moment of time. Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070919174711.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070823115345.htm The wind turbine off in the distance is flopped over on its side -- the 11-foot blades suspended just above the ground at one end and a 2,000-pound, bulbous, galvanized steel counterbalance pitched into the air at the other. The unique turbine isn't broken; it was lowered from a height of 80 feet to test the ability to bring it down at the drop of a hat should foul weather set in or should the migratory songbirds and nesting seabirds that frequent this 95-acre island run afoul of the whirling blades. Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070823115345.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070813153419.htm Do the overall efficiencies of renewable energy sources add up in terms of their complete life cycle from materials sourcing, manufacture, running, and decommissioning? Using these criteria, researchers have identified the three viable renewable energy resources as solar energy, wind power and geothermal energy. Sat, 18 Aug 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070813153419.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070724160209.htm Renewable does not mean green. That is the claim of Jesse Ausubel of the Rockefeller University in New York. He explains that building enough wind farms, damming enough rivers, and growing enough biomass to meet global energy demands will wreck the environment. Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070724160209.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070719011130.htm A study of community renewable energy projects in Britain has found that so far, projects are largely based in the countryside, some quite remote. From wind turbines to shared heating systems, small-scale renewable energy doesn't just help in the fight against climate change. It can also bring people together, revitalize local economies and help alleviate poverty. Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070719011130.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070619155735.htm Certain home shapes and roof types can better resist high winds and hurricanes, according to new research. The researcher spent two years examining the findings of research centers that have studied the best designs and construction materials and methods needed to withstand extreme wind events and hurricanes. Thu, 21 Jun 2007 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070619155735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070531102336.htm It will huff, and puff, and blow the house in -- but only for research purposes. Wind engineers just unveiled the world's largest portable hurricane wind and rain simulator. Civil and coastal engineers plan to use the simulator to blast vacant homes with winds of up to 130 mph -- Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale -- and high-pressure water jets that mimic wind-driven torrential rain. Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070531102336.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070528155146.htm Some coronal mass ejections (CMEs) produce violent radiation storms, and some do not. The trick is to identify the ones that can produce dangerous radiation, so that astronauts and satellite operators can be warned ahead of time. Now researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center may have found a way to do just that. Wed, 30 May 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070528155146.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070503110317.htm Although the use of wind energy to generate electricity is increasing rapidly in the United States, government guidance to help communities and developers evaluate and plan proposed wind-energy projects is lacking, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Research Council. Thu, 03 May 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070503110317.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070319180042.htm A new wind turbine blade design that researchers at Sandia developed in partnership with Knight & Carver of San Diego should significantly reduce the cost-of-energy of wind turbines at low-wind-speed sites. Named "STAR" for Sweep Twist Adaptive Rotor, the blade is the first of its kind produced at a utility-grade size. Tue, 20 Mar 2007 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070319180042.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070204111710.htm The wind resource off the Mid-Atlantic coast could supply the energy needs of nine states from Massachusetts to North Carolina, plus the District of Columbia -- with enough left over to support a 50 percent increase in future energy demand -- according to a study by researchers at the University of Delaware and Stanford University. Tue, 06 Feb 2007 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070204111710.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070122143057.htm Near-surface winds provide a renewable source of clean energy and evaporate water, helping rain clouds to build up. But aerosolized particles created from vehicle exhaust and other contaminants can accumulate in the atmosphere and reduce the speed of winds closer to the Earth's surface, which results in less wind power available for wind-turbine electricity and also in reduced precipitation, according to a study by Stanford and NASA researchers. Tue, 23 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070122143057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070116204937.htm Delawareans are strongly in favor of offshore wind power as a future source of energy for the state, according to a survey conducted by University of Delaware researchers. When asked to select from a variety of sources to help the state increase its energy supply, more than 90 percent of the 949 Delaware residents responding to the survey supported an offshore wind option to generate electricity--even if wind power were to add between $1 and $30 per month to their electric bills. Wed, 17 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070116204937.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060912230012.htm An MIT researcher has a vision: Four hundred huge offshore wind turbines are providing onshore customers with enough electricity to power several hundred thousand homes, and nobody standing onshore can see them. The trick? The wind turbines are floating on platforms a hundred miles out to sea, where the winds are strong and steady. Tue, 19 Sep 2006 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060912230012.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060614120238.htm What happens if you run an electric motor backwards? That is exactly what researchers Dr Steve Turnock and Dr Suleiman Abu-Sharkh from the University of Southampton asked themselves after they had successfully built an electric motor for tethered underwater vehicles, using funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Wed, 14 Jun 2006 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060614120238.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060605082238.htm Iowa State University researchers and students will soon be chasing tornado data in the lab and across tornado alley. It's all part of a research project designed to increase scientists' basic understanding of wind storms and develop innovative ways to make homes and buildings stand up to tornadoes, microburst thunderstorms, hurricanes and gust fronts. Mon, 05 Jun 2006 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060605082238.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060322135642.htm Aerospace engineers from Texas A&M University's Flight Research Laboratory are in Kansas this week testing a new design for an energy-efficient aircraft wing. The researchers are testing a design for an energy-efficient airfoil, or wing. In flight, air should flow smoothly and uninterrupted over the wing. Fri, 24 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060322135642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060106004733.htm Purdue University engineers have developed a wind tunnel that is the only one of its kind in the world capable of running quietly at "hypersonic" speeds, helping researchers to design advanced aircraft and missiles. Purdue engineers will present a paper about the wind tunnel on Thursday Jan. 12. Sun, 08 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060106004733.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051018072127.htm Researchers have discovered a mathematical formula that may enable more precise models of turbulence, with practical implications in areas as diverse as weather forecasting, pollutant control, engine design and astrophysics. Wed, 19 Oct 2005 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051018072127.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051010100153.htm A study led by UCL (University College London) scientists has unravelled the physical mechanism behind the poorly understood weather phenomenon of coastal wind jets - which are thought to have helped the British sailing team strike gold at the Olympics. Mon, 10 Oct 2005 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051010100153.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050919081243.htm Wind generator vanes can suffer degradation by erosion, particularly at their outer edge, produced by particles (dust, sand, etc.) which are present suspended in the air. Mon, 19 Sep 2005 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050919081243.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050719002253.htm Engineers at the University of Alberta have created a wind energy generator that they hope people will one day be able to use to power their own homes. Tue, 19 Jul 2005 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050719002253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050712235030.htm University of Florida researchers working on at least two separate projects helped gauge Hurricane Dennis' fury Saturday and Sunday. Wed, 13 Jul 2005 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050712235030.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050630062953.htm A new advanced turbine being tested at Wanapum Dam in Washington state produces nearly 5 percent more power, but before more are installed researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are getting input from several thousand fish. Thu, 30 Jun 2005 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050630062953.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050608061308.htm Southern Company and the Georgia Institute of Technology announced today that they will collaborate on the Southeast's first offshore wind power project off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. The announcement was made during a press conference at Georgia Tech. Wed, 08 Jun 2005 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050608061308.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050524101131.htm Wind farms are nothing new to some parts of the United States, where tall, white wind turbines with their giant propellers tower over the landscape, generating electricity with every sweep of their blades. Now these windmills may be coming to an ocean near you -- but not without significant public debate and navigation of a "hodgepodge" of regulations, according to recent University of Delaware research. Tue, 24 May 2005 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050524101131.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050516192202.htm A new global wind power map has quantified global wind power and may help planners place turbines in locations that can maximize power from the winds and provide widely available low-cost energy. After analyzing more than 8,000 wind speed measurements in an effort to identify the world's wind power potential for the first time, researchers suggest that wind captured at specific locations, if even partially harnessed, can generate more than enough power to satisfy the world's energy demands. Mon, 16 May 2005 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050516192202.htm