Texas Tech University Department of Wind Science and Engineering
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Overview

Wind Energy

Building on our significant wind measurement and analysis capabilities, the Center has established the Great Plains Wind Power Test Facility - a national resource for the testing, characterization, and improvement of grid-connected wind turbines and integrated wind-driven water desalination systems.


Main Research Efforts:

  • Assessment of the risk and effects resulting from wind turbine exposure to extreme and unusual events of the Great Plains – such as Low Level Jets, extreme wind speed and direction shear, thunderstorm outflow and micro-bursts, and wind vortices.
  • Analysis and testing of utility-scale wind turbines designed for use in less-energetic wind regimes.
  • Improvement of wind turbine design codes with emphasis on unusual and extreme wind events of the Great Plains.
  • Identification of advanced wind-driven water treatment and desalination systems for municipal and other applications.
  • Full-scale testing of wind-driven water desalination systems and their associated economics.
  • Development of modeling codes for integrated wind-water desalination systems
  • Development of industry partnerships.


Features

  • The Great Plains Wind Power Test Facility is located on the Center’s 67 acre field test site at Reese Technology Center 8 miles West of the main campus.
  • Located on site is an integrated wind-water desalination controller development platform with a 5 kW turbine and 1500 GPD reverse osmosis test unit.
  • See Research Facilities
    • on this website for a list of instrumentation and capabilities.