Research and Development Initiative

To get involved or just keep informed with the North American Wind Energy Academy's (NAWEA's) Research and Development Committee, send an email to: [email protected].

For wind energy to continue to evolve into a more cost-effective, high-contribution, sustainable national energy source that generates a large percentage of electricity production, new agendas are essential in wind energy research and development. The research agenda must bridge multiple disciplines and diverse organizations and foster national and international collaborations to address the science, engineering, economic, environmental, policy, and public acceptance issues that currently are impeding growth and acceptance of wind energy. Further detail on these research topics are highlighted in the 2019 Grand Challenges in the Science of Wind Energy.

NAWEA will use the following means to facilitate research collaborations and partnerships:

• Research collaboration among the members. NAWEA will promote research collaboration among members via faculty and staff exchanges and sharing of experimental facilities. Faculty, research staff at government and private laboratories, and researchers in industry will be able to participate.
• Research topic working groups. NAWEA will facilitate the formation of working groups to explore and address emerging, evolving, or critical areas in wind energy research. The objective will be to establish ad hoc virtual topical external advisory working groups that develop topical white papers or other outcome. These mechanisms are essential components for establishing an effective and accurate flow of information, thus providing the academy with the agility it needs to ebb and flow with wind research needs and impact the research agenda.
• Sponsor an Outstanding Young Researcher Award. NAWEA will sponsor an annual Outstanding Young Researcher Award to encourage and recognize the importance of new researchers and the need for innovative research in the wind community.
• Facilitate graduate student research exchanges. NAWEA will facilitate opportunities for graduate students to work at other NAWEA member universities and at the national laboratories to enhance their research. This will help promote collaboration among the members and enrich the graduate student experience. International exchange opportunities with European Academy of Wind Energy members will be established.