Recent wind resource characterization activities at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The wind resource characterization team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working to improve the characterization of the wind resource in many key regions of the world. Tasks undertaken in the past year include: updates to the comprehensive meteorological and geographic data bases used in resource assessments in the US and abroad; development and validation of an automated wind resource mapping procedure; support in producing wind forecasting tools useful to utilities involved in wind energy generation; continued support for recently established wind measurement and assessment programs in the US