Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Regional Wind Energy Assessment Program. Progress report, October 1983-September 1984

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5733436
The focus of the FY84 Wind Energy Assessment Program was to continue assessment of the wind power potential in the Pacific Northwest as well as perform a helicopter survey of Eastern Oregon. New study sites were established in Montana, Idaho, eastern and southwestern Oregon, northeast Nevada and eastern Washington to broaden the area wide coverage in this assessment. The FY84 wind power site data network included 105 sites. Ninety-three sites were specifically sited to assess wind power potential. During FY84 32 new sites were established and 28 sites were decommissioned from the 1983 site network. The climatological analysis for the period June 1983 through May 1984 indicated that fall was the only season that was consistently stronger than normal throughout the region. Winter had weaker than normal winds in Montana and Idaho, whereas the winds were stronger than normal in northeast Nevada. A large area wind prospecting survey was conducted in eastern Oregon to identify promising wind power locations. Fifty sites were observed and of these eight were recommended for instrumentation. Analysis of the network data over the period June 1983 through May 1984 indicated 24 sites had good wind power potential and 14 sites had fair wind power potential. A good rating was given to sites where the mean annual wind speed (anti V) was greater than or equal to14 mph and/or the power density value exceeded 300 W/m/sup 2/. A fair rating was given to sites where anti V=12 to 14 mph and/or the power density value was in the 200 to 300 W/m/sup 2/ range.
Research Organization:
Oregon State Univ., Corvallis (USA). Wind Resources Assessment Lab.
OSTI ID:
5733436
Report Number(s):
DOE/BP-387; ON: DE85011519
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English