ML12199A420

DOE 2005 - Wind Energy Resource Potential

ML12199A420
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	09/08/2008
From:	US Dept of Energy (DOE)
To:	Justin Poole Watts Bar Special Projects Branch
Poole J
References
Download: ML12199A420 (3)

Text

EERE Information Center Search Help More Search Options Printable VersionWind Energy Resource PotentialGood wind areas, which cover 6% of the contiguous U.S. land area, havethe potential to supply more than one and a half times the current electricity consumption of the United States.Estimates of the wind resource are expressed in wind power classes rangingfrom class 1 to class 7, with each class representing a range of mean wind power density or equivalent mean speed at specified heights above the ground. Areas designated class 4 or greater are suitable with advanced wind turbine technology under development today. Power class 3 areas may be suitable for future technology. Class 2 areas are marginal and class 1 areas are unsuitable for wind energy development.

U.S. Annual Wind Power Resource and Wind Power Classes - Contiguous U.S.States. Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program: Wind Energy Resource Pot...http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/wind_potential.ht ml1 of 39/8/2008 1:23 P M

U.S. Annual Wind Power Resource and Wind Power Classes - Alaska and Hawaii.Because techniques of wind resource assessment have improved greatly inrecent years, work began in 2000 to update the U.S. wind atlas. The workwill produce regional-scale maps of the wind resource with resolution down to one square kilometer. The new atlas will take advantage of modern techniques for mapping. It will also incorporate new meteorological, geographical, and terrain data. The program's advanced mapping of the wind resource is another important element necessary for expanding wind-generating capacity in the United States.

Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program: Wind Energy Resource Pot...http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/wind_potential.ht ml2 of 39/8/2008 1:23 P M

1987 U.S. Wind Atlas Map vs. 2000 High-Resolution (1-km

2) WindMap of North and South DakotaVisit the Wind Powering America State Wind Map page to see if your stateor area of interest has a newer, more detailed map available.If you have difficulty accessing the information on this page because of adisability, please contact the webmaster for assistance.

Printable VersionWind and Hydropower Technologies Program Home l EERE Home l U.S. Department of EnergyWebmaster l Web Site Policies l Security & Privacy l USA.govContent Last Updated: 09/14/2005Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program: Wind Energy Resource Pot...http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/wind_potential.ht ml3 of 39/8/2008 1:23 P M