Emerging technologies might be economically viable in Florida and other parts of the Southeast.
Florida is one of several states in the Southeast where wind energy is virtually nonexistent, which is one reason wind farms have not been an economically viable energy source in the region. But a new study from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering shows how upcoming technological advances could make wind energy a hot commodity in the Sunshine State.
Sean Martin, a researcher in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering from Florida State University, is working with an interdisciplinary team of scientists to examine wind resource characteristics at nine different locations in Florida. Their analysis will help the wind industry and policymakers know how viable wind energy production using developing technologies could be. Their work was published in the journal Applied Energy .
“With advances in turbine technology, taller towers, larger rotor diameter and new control systems, we will be able to provide low-cost wind power to low-wind regions, such as Florida and the Southeast,” Martin said. “The increased hub heights and taller turbines can take advantage of greater wind speeds that occur higher up to harvest more wind power.”
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