Abstract: Wind energy has undergone a remarkable evolution over the last half century. The wind turbines of the 1970s were relatively small, simple machines of marginal reliability. Turbines today are
far larger, more sophisticated, and more reliable. Now, the wind is expected to supply a large
fraction of the world’s energy supply in the transition away from fossil fuels. In order to
accomplish this, however, there is still much to be done. The focus will shift from wind turbines
per se to wind energy systems in which the turbines are an important, but the not the only
components. Turbines will be active, and in some cases primary, participants in larger power
systems. Groups of turbines will form wind power plants whose combined output will be
comparable to the largest conventional power plants of the present time. These wind power
plants will operate together with energy storage, power electronics, integrative control systems
and hydrogen based fuel production (power-to-X) in ways that were heretofore almost
inconceivable. This presentation will provide an overview of the ongoing and emerging
developments in wind energy science and technology that will enable the wind power systems of
the future: atmospheric science, materials, turbine design, wind power plant control and powerto-X.
Biograhy: James F. Manwell is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Founding Director of the University’s Wind Energy Center. Prof. Manwell has been working in the field on wind energy for more than 35 years, both within the United States and internationally. His research interests have focused on wind turbine external design conditions, hybrid power systems, energy storage and offshore wind energy. He worked with the International Energy Agency’s wind energy program on autonomous wind energy systems and is a member of International Electrotechnical Commission’s working groups developing design standards for offshore wind turbines. He is the lead author of the text book Wind Energy Explained: Theory, Design, and Application as well as numerous other publications on various aspects of wind energy.