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Utility Scale Wind Energy: An Engineering Triumph
Jon McGowan, Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Massachusetts/Amherst
February 23, 2007
Abstract
Today, utility scale wind energy can deliver electricity at prices competitive with conventional sources. Furthermore, the growth rate of this renewable and sustainable, non-polluting energy source is about 30% per year—with a current worldwide installed capacity of over 70,000 MW (Note that in 1975 the installed capacity was about zero!). The development and advancement of the wind industry has represented a challenge for engineers with a wide range of disciplines (mechanical, materials, electrical, aeronautical, civil, ocean, and computer science). Can wind energy continue this trend and provide 20, 30, or 50% of grid delivered electricity in the U.S. and/or other countries of the world? Does offshore wind offer a promising energy input? Are we going to see 500,000 MW of wind energy capacity in the near future? This lecture will review the history of modern wind energy and the key engineering accomplishments that have contributed to its present success. The engineering challenges for the future will be addressed and predictions for future worldwide and U.S. wind energy market will be made.
Biography
Jon McGowan received his B.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Eng. from the Carnegie Institute of Technology and his M.S. in Mechanical Eng. from Stanford University. He served as a Development Engineer at E.I. duPont de Nemours before joining the University of MA/Amherst. Professor McGowan has developed and taught numerous undergraduate and graduate courses in thermofluids, energy conversion, and renewable energy. His wind energy work has recently resulted in a detailed text on the subject that has been widely used by the worldwide wind energy community. His current research interests have been in the area of renewable energy conversion systems where he has numerous technical publications. He is a member of a number of scientific and technical societies and is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Professor McGowan's recent work in renewable energy systems area has also involved cooperative work at the Environmental and Energy Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he holds an appointment as a Research Affiliate. Also, Professor McGowan is a co-founder of the Renewable Energy Research Laboratory (RERL) at the University – an internationally recognized center for wind energy research and development. He has consulted for a number of industrial companies and laboratories in the energy and thermofluids area and is a founder and principle of Wind Power Associates, a consulting organization that has carried out a number of significant educational and technical projects in the wind and renewable energy engineering areas.