Dr. Ruth Douglas Miller

Kansas State University - Electrical and Computer Engineering

Wind Power Changes and Challenges

102 Cardwell Hall

December 9, 2013

4:30 p.m.

In the US and globally the wind industry is in many ways "mature": the methods for overcoming challenges of capturing energy from the wind and turning it into electricity have mostly become routine. In the US wind power accounts for upwards of 5% of total electricity generation, very close to the contribution from hydroelectric power. The growth rate of wind and solar generation has been the highest of any electricity source, exceeding 13% annually in the past two years. Global growth rates are similar. The major technical challenges experienced by the wind industry are transmission, grid integration, and offshore installation; at both industry and research level, these challenges are being met. For small and community wind, cost remains the major barrier to broader implementation.