A national wind energy advocacy group is holding its first meeting in Massachusetts next week.
The three-day meeting of the North American Wind Energy Academy is scheduled to start Tuesday at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
The academy is an organization of universities, research laboratories and businesses dedicated to coordinating wind energy research and education activities to advance the state of wind energy technology and develop the next generation of engineers, researchers and scientists.
The first day features an all-day workshop on wind turbine modeling.
Other sessions will look at the meteorological challenges of wind and solar energy facilities, as well as discuss the federal government’s visions for wind energy.
All workshops are scheduled to take place in the university’s engineering labs on the north side of campus.
Inaugural Meeting of the North American Wind Energy Academy
August 7th – 9th, 2012
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is pleased to host the inaugural meeting of the North American Wind Energy Academy (NAWEA) this summer from August 7th – 9th. NAWEA is an organization of universities, research laboratories, and industry participants dedicated to coordinating wind energy research and education activities in order to advance the state of wind energy technology and to develop the next generation of wind energy engineers, researchers, scientists, and innovators in North America.
Agenda for the Inaugural Meeting of the
North American Wind Energy Academy
Tuesday, August 7th
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. FAST Workshop (Full)
A 1-day wind turbine modeling workshop presented by Dr. Jason Jonkman from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
For a detailed workshop agenda, click here.
Please note: this workshop is currently full. If you are interested in attending, please select the waitlist option on the registration page and you will be contact if space opens.
1:30 p.m. – 4:40 p.m. (Parallel session) Working Session of NAWEA Charter Committee (Open to
the public) Members of the NAWEA Charter Committee will meet to discuss feedback to the draft charter.
5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Presentation of the NAWEA Charter
A draft of the NAWEA Charter will be presented by the NAWEA Charter Committee and discussed by interested parties.
Wednesday, August 8th
7:30 a.m. Registration opens
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Registration opens
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The Atmospheric Science Challenges Related to Large-Scale Deployment of
Weather-Dependent Renewable Energy
Dr. Matthew Lackner, Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst: Welcome and Introduction to the Session
Dr. Chris Clack, Postdoctoral Research Associate, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Earth System Research Laboratory
Dr. Jim Wilczak, Team Lead, Boundary Layer Processes and Applications, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Dr. Sue Haupt, Director, Weather Systems and Assessment Program, Research Applications Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research
1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. NAWEA Kick-off session: “Challenges of Large Scale Deployment of Wind Power
Dr. James Manwell, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Director of the Wind Energy Center, University of
Dr. Robert Thresher, NREL Research Fellow, National Wind Technology Center: The Need for an Academy of Wind Energy in North America
Jose Zayas, Program Manager, US DOE Wind and Water Power Program, DOE’s Vision for Wind Energy and the Role of R&D and Education in Fostering a Strong Wind Industry
Roger Schonewald, General Electric Energy: The Industry Perspective on the Future of Wind Energy in North America
Walt Musial, NREL Offshore Wind and Water Power Manager, National Wind Technology Center: Offshore Wind Power and the Challenges of Large Scale Deployment
Mark O’Malley, Professor of Electrical Engineering, University College Dublin: Grid Integration Challenges and Solutions
Michael Goggin, Manager, Transmission Policy, American Wind Energy Association: Policy, Integration, and Transmission Solutions for the Large-Scale Deployment of Wind Power.
Thursday, August 9th
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Parallel session) Graduate student presentation and networking session
Inspired by a similar event in Europe, the purpose of these sessions is to allow graduate students to present their research and discuss it with their peers in a more casual environment than a traditional conference. Students who only have preliminary results or are early in their theses are encouraged to present and get feedback from their peers. Time will be set aside for networking and discussion as well as presentations. Each presentation will be 15 minutes including questions.
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Parallel session) General Meeting to Discuss the Strategic Direction of NAWEA and
Next Steps
Moderators: Ian Baring-Gould, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Mike Knotek, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute
This session will discuss the strategic focus of NAWEA and will allow broad discussions and brainstorming around key areas. As part of this discussion, working groups will form to further refine and elaborate on the final concepts to be included in the Charter. The major initiatives for discussion are: Educational Initiatives, Research and Development Initiatives, and Major Activities.
Registration
There are two different registration options available. Because the one day NREL Wind Turbine Modeling Workshop on August 7th is currently full, participants can attend the other two days of the conference for $100 for graduate students and $215 for professionals. The Early Bird Registration rates ended on July 23rd. If you wish to be put on the waitlist for the one-day workshop, please indicate such on the registration page.
Meals
Continental breakfast will be provided each day of the conference from 8:00-9:00 a.m. in the E-Lab 2 lobby. A box lunch will be provided each day at noon. On Wednesday, August 8th, there will be a dinner at the Campus Center 10th floor at 6:30 p.m. A cash bar will be available starting at 5:30 p.m.
Location
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is located about one hour from Bradley International Airport in Hartford, CT. Follow the links on the left for information about getting to campus, as well as campus maps and directions. All sessions on Tuesday, August 7th and Wednesday August 8th will take place in Engineering Laboratory 1 (E-Lab 2). On Thursday the graduate student presentation sessions will take place in Engineering Laboratory 1 (E-Lab 1), and the discussion on NAWEA’s strategic focus will take place in E-Lab 2. For GPS purposes Engineering Lab II (E-Lab II) is located at 101 North Service Road, Amherst MA 01003
Accommodations
There are many different hotels close to the University. A block of rooms has been reserved at the UMass Hotel at the Campus Center. Please reference group code NAWEAC and reserve a room before July 23, 2012 to secure your reservation. Reservations can be made online by following the link at the left. For a list of other area hotels, please click the Accommodations, Travel & Other Information link at left.
On-campus housing is also available in the North Residences for $50 a night. A typical residence suite has four single bedrooms, 2 shared bathrooms, a common lounge area & a kitchen. The kitchen has a microwave, refrigerator and stove, but there are no utensils, dishware, silverware or any other kitchen appliances. Each bedroom is private (lockable with a key) and includes a dresser, desk, chair and single bed. Linen packs include sheets, pillows, pillowcases, towels and a blanket, and can be reserved on the registration page. You can access pictures and descriptions of the suite here.
Parking
Parking will be available both at the Campus Center Garage and Lot 45 next to ELab I & II. If you need on-campus parking, please be sure to indicate such on the registration page.
Cancellation PolicyCancellations received before August 2nd, 2012, will receive a refund minus a $35 processing fee for professionals or minus a $20 processing fee for Graduate students. No refunds will be granted to those who cancel after August 2nd, 2012.
