In order to provide the highest quality information to support decision-making regarding wind energy, the Energy Department in June launched a collaborative partnership between its new WINDExchange initiative and six supporting Regional Resource Centers.
The new WINDExchange initiative and website will serve as a digital portal providing fact-based informational resources about the costs and benefits of wind power, technical assistance and guidance for simplifying the deployment process, and public access to educational resources. Upholding the Energy Department’s commitment to making high-quality information available to advance clean energy technologies, WINDExchange provides key resources and tools through its website such as: wind resource maps; e-newsletters published twice a month; webinars; podcasts; databases; economic development studies; fact sheets; the Wind for Schools Portal; and a Small Wind Guidebook.
Six new Regional Resource Centers (RRCs) will serve their regions as wind energy information centers, supporting WINDExchange’s efforts and working collaboratively with local organizations to engage diverse stakeholder groups. Their geographically-based focus will enable the RRCs to better understand and target the specific priorities and challenges relevant to their regions. Leaders from the RRCs are meeting this week at the National Wind Technology Center in Colorado to kick off this year’s engagement activities in each region and discuss the new WINDExchange resources available to support their work.
The new RRCs include:
• Northwest Wind Resource and Action Center, operated by Renewable Northwest
• Four corners Wind Resource Center, operated by Utah Clean Energy in partnershipwith Interwest Energy Alliance and Northern Arizona University
• America’s Islanded Grids Resource Center, operated by Renewable Energy Alaska Project and Island Institute
• Midwest Wind Resource Center, operated by Windustry
• Northeast Wind Resource Group, operated by Clean Energy Group and Sustainable Energy Advantage
• Southeast Wind Energy Resource Center, operated by Southeastern Coastal Wind Coalition.
— Source: U.S. Department of Energy
