Wind Energy Technologies Office

Our Role at DOE

The Wind Energy Technologies Office invests in wind energy research and development (R&D) activities that enable and accelerate the innovations needed to advance offshore, land-based, and distributed wind systems; reduce the cost of wind energy; drive deployment in an environmentally conscious manner; and facilitate the integration of high levels of wind energy with the electric grid.

Wind Energy 101 Educational Resources

WINDExchange

Our Mission

WETO supports wind energy as an abundant, readily accessible resource that fosters economic prosperity, societal well-being, environmental sustainability, and energy security. Our R&D activities are aimed at improving performance, lowering costs, and reducing market barriers for U.S. wind energy. Leveraging the nation's abundant wind resources for electric power generation helps the nation increase its competitiveness, diversify its energy supply, increase energy security and independence, reduce emissions of air pollutants, save water that would otherwise be used by thermal power generation, and provide affordable electricity across the country. In addition, wind energy deployment helps stimulate the revitalization of key sectors of the economy by investing in infrastructure and creating long-term skilled jobs.

Wind Energy R&D

Areas of Research

WETO funds research nationwide to enable the development and deployment of offshore wind technologies that can capture wind resources off the coasts of the United States and convert that wind into electricity.
Floating Offshore Wind
Offshore Wind R&D
Strategy
Market Acceleration
WETO's work in land-based wind R&D includes both utility-scale and distributed wind energy. This includes work on large wind turbines with taller towers and longer blades to capture more energy at a lower cost, as well as technology development and deployment of small wind turbines in distributed applications. Our R&D aims to improve wind plant performance and advance wind energy technologies for nearby energy consumers.
Technology R&D
Distributed Wind
Distributed Wind Resource Hub
RAISE Initiative
Small Wind FAQs
Wind Technology Testing
WETO supports R&D efforts to help reduce barriers to wind power deployment and increasing the acceptance of wind power technologies by addressing siting and environmental issues. To support environmentally sustainable development of wind energy in the United States, WETO invests in innovative, cost-effective technologies that can refine our understanding of these risks and minimize wildlife impacts at land-based and offshore wind farms.
Turbine Sustainability and Recycling
Wildlife and Environmental R&D
Tethys Research Database
Radar Impact Mitigation
Renewable Energy Siting
WETO collaborates with wind technology suppliers to increase reliability while lowering production costs, and to promote an industry that can meet domestic demands while competing in the global market. To bolster the domestic supply chain, WETO supports investment in domestic wind turbine manufacturing and research in workforce development and education efforts.
WETO's investments seek to improve America's international competitiveness in a time of fast-growing global interest and support vast growth potential for domestic manufacturing with opportunities for good-paying jobs.
Workforce Development & Education
Recycling
Manufacturing R&D
Blade Manufacturing
Drivertrain Manufacturing
Infrastructure and Logistics
WETO supports R&D efforts to accurately define, measure, and forecast the United States land-based and offshore wind resources, optimize wind plant performance, and make data and maps available to the public.
Atmospheric Science Research
Wind Maps
Wind Resource Database
Wind Data Hub
Atmosphere to Electrons
WETO conducts R&D and works with electric grid operators, utilities, regulators, and industry to incorporate increasing amounts of wind energy into the power system while maintaining economic and reliable operation of the grid.
Wind Integration R&D
Interconnection Innovation Exchange
Grid Modernization Initiative