Wind Energy Research Planning Effort for California

In 2006, the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program developed a long-term integrated renewable energy roadmap identifying research, development and deployment (RD&D) requirements to support California's renewable policy goals. As part of the planning effort, a more detailed Wind Energy Research Plan is now being developed to help prioritize and identify near-term and longer-term RD&D specific to California. The California Wind Energy Collaborative is supporting the industry and PIER to capture priority RD&D needs and to develop a Wind Energy Research Plan aimed at achieving 2020 policy goals.

Research Planning Workshop

Wind energy is an important component of California's renewables portfolio. The goal of this workshop is to gather input from industry stakeholders, the research community and other interested parties to aid PIER's wind research planning effort covering the period through 2020. Once complete, the Wind Energy Research Plan will help lay out major RD&D required to meet key renewables policy goals in California and will serve as a key planning tool for PIER's renewable RD&D effort.

The Collaborative is hosting the first of a series of planning workshops to gather input on California wind RD&D priorities. Participants are invited to discuss future technologies and issues related to wind power in California. To help facilitate discussions, attendees are asked to focus and expand on the following four RD&D areas:

Wind power production technology and resources: What improvements are needed in wind energy technology for improved performance, reduced cost of energy, and further development and commercialization of wind energy resources?
Grid integration: What transmission integration and grid operational issues inhibit further development of wind generation and what RD&D investments are required to accommodate and manage increasing levels of new wind generation mandated by state policy?
Promoting end-user adoption: What information and improvements are needed to support adoption of wind energy by end-users and help the market transform to support a broader base of renewable options (i.e., DER, DG)? What education and training will be needed to support the growing wind industry?
Mechanisms and policies for sustained market growth: What are the market, regulatory, business/corporate, contractual barriers and uncertainties that hinder wind energy growth?

Date, Location, Agenda

Date

Tuesday, 11 December 2007
1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location

Walter A. Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center
University of California, Davis
Davis, California

Maps and directions are available here.

Tentative Agenda

1:00 - 1:45	Introduction and overview
1:45 - 3:15	Breakout sessions with 15 minute break
3:15 - 4:30	Breakout group presentations and wrap-up

Who should participate?

Wind plant developers
Wind turbine and component manufacturers
Wind power technology researchers and developers
Utility transmission planners and system operators
Land use, environmental, and siting staff (federal, state and local levels)
Technology and market analysis researchers
Other stakeholders and interested parties

Registration and Questions

Formal registration is not required. However, if you will be attending, please notify us with your name and affiliation by e-mailing to windplan07@cwec.ucdavis.edu.

If you have any questions, contact us at windplan07@cwec.ucdavis.edu or call Case van Dam, Director of CWEC, at (530) 752-7741.

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