Wind Energy

Wind power or wind energy is a form of renewable energy that harnesses the power of the wind to generate electricity. It involves using wind turbines to convert the turning motion of blades, pushed by moving air (kinetic energy) into electrical energy (electricity). Modern wind turbines are categorized by where they are installed, and how they are connected to the grid. The three types of wind energy systems are land-based, offshore, and distributed wind. This page provides resources to learn about what wind energy is, how wind energy works, and its benefits to communities and the environment. It also shares how the Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) and other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) offices are advancing wind energy technologies.

Highlights

Advancing a Domestic Clean Energy Future through Wind Energy

Why Wind Energy?

Wind energy is a cornerstone of the nation’s power system, offering cost-competitive, emission-free, and locally produced electricity across the country. Wind energy presents a unique opportunity to harness energy in areas where our country's populations need it most. This includes offshore wind’s potential to provide power to population centers near coastlines, and land-based wind's ability to deliver electricity to rural communities and islands with few other local sources of power. 

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. 

What Are the Main Types of Wind Energy?

Illustration off an offshore wind turbine

Offshore Wind Energy

Offshore wind turbines in water depths less than 60 meters can be fixed directly to the bottom of the ocean, known as fixed-bottom offshore wind turbines. About two-thirds of U.S. offshore wind energy potential exists over waters too deep for today’s fixed-bottom wind turbine foundations and instead require floating offshore wind platforms. Electricity from offshore wind is brought to shore via high-voltage direct current transmission lines, then connected to the grid to power homes and businesses. 

Illustration off a wind turbine and hills

Land-Based Wind Energy

Land-based, utility-scale wind energy projects use highly efficient, state-of-the-art wind turbines that generate cost-competitive electricity at power-plant scales. They can be owned and run by a utility company that then sells the power the plant makes to users, like homeowners, who connect to the electrical grid.

Illustration off a wind turbine next to a barn and silo

Distributed Wind Energy

Distributed wind energy describes wind energy projects that serve local energy demand generating on-site electricity for homes, schools, businesses, and farms. Wind turbines used as a distributed energy resource can be connected at the distribution level of an electricity delivery system (or in off-grid applications) to serve on-site energy demand, or support operation of local electricity distribution networks.  

DOE's Role in Advancing U.S. Wind Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been a global leader in supporting critical wind energy research and development (R&D) for decades, helping usher in commercial wind energy production. These investments have contributed to the rise of today’s wind energy sector. 

DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) funds wind energy R&D activities that

Other DOE offices that support wind energy include: 

Advancing U.S. wind energy requires regular collaboration with government agencies, academic institutions, small businesses, nonprofits, environmental groups, states, Tribal nations, communities, the international research community, and other industry stakeholders to identify and address challenges that face the wind energy sector. 

DOE encourages researchers across disciplines to apply for funding to support innovative projects that advance the wind energy sector. Learn more about DOE funding opportunities for wind energy research and development, as well as tax credits and incentives for wind energy deployment. 

Wind Energy 101

What Is Wind Energy?

Visit our basics pages to learn how wind energy produces power and see an animation of how wind turbines work.

Learn More
The Collegiate Wind Competition logo

Collegiate Wind Competition

DOE’s Collegiate Wind Competition helps college students prepare for jobs in the wind and renewable energy workforce through real-world experiences with wind energy technology, project development, finance, communications, and outreach. By participating in the competition, schools and students connect with wind energy experts and industry contacts, enhancing schools' curriculum offerings and strengthening students' professional networks. 

Collegiate Wind Competition

Wind Energy Technologies Office R&D Projects Map

WETO leads the nation's efforts to research and develop innovative technologies, lower the costs, and enable and accelerate the deployment of wind energy throughout the nation. The office has a comprehensive portfolio and invests through cooperative agreements with a variety of businesses, universities, laboratories, and other organizations.

Learn more about the Office's R&D portfolio through the interactive map below. Users can apply the filters on the left or click on a specific state. The projects that meet your chosen criteria will populate in a table below the map. Further refinement can be made by adjusting the filters or using the search box to control the information displayed, or zoom in to see projects in any specific region or state.

Resources

Search for WETO-funded reports, articles, fact sheets, and other publications, or see featured publications.

Press Releases

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Supporting Offices