# Industry Experts Provide Perspective of Expected Future Wind Plant Design

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/05/industry-experts-provide-perspective-of-expected-future-wind-plant-design/
- Published: 2022-05-25T10:21:27-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

Anticipating key features of [wind](https://greenlivingguy.com/2013/03/polls-from-awea-report-strong-support-for-wind-power-usa/)
plants a decade or more ahead of their [installation](https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/08/10-largest-wind-project-development-2022/)
can inform today’s investment, research, and energy [system](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/09/eiffel-tower-has-small-wind-turbines/)
planning decisions. Researchers Philipp Beiter and Eric Lantz from the National 
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), together with collaborators from the Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy, elicited opinions
from more than 140 of the world’s leading experts about their expectations of future
[wind](https://greenlivingguy.com/2013/01/build-your-own-small-wind-power-system-a-review-2/)
plant design in 2035.

![Industry experts provide perspective of expected future wind plant design](https://
i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/unnamed-3-3.jpg?resize=420%
2C226&quality=52&ssl=1 "Industry Experts Provide Perspective of Expected Future 
Wind Plant Design - The Green Living Guy")

In their new article, “[Expert Perspectives on the Wind Plant of the Future](https://nrel.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cfb46c07f566f9a82b5fa0488&id=ebe2779b43&e=5b2d060ad8),”
which appears in the journal _Wind Energy_, the researchers find that experts expect
the height of wind [turbines](https://greenlivingguy.com/2014/09/northern-power-systems-launches-new-distributed-wind-turbines-nps-100-and-nps-60-improve-annual-energy-production-by-up-to-15/)
to increase even greater than previously forecast, with plants located increasingly
in the less favorable wind and siting regions.

Taller turbines, and their accompanying larger rotor diameters, allow for the capture
of more energy. In the most-likely scenario, the experts predicted that hub height
for newly installed onshore wind turbines will reach 130 meters in 2035, rather 
than the 115-meter forecast offered in a [2015 survey](https://nrel.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cfb46c07f566f9a82b5fa0488&id=781f9a8ee7&e=5b2d060ad8).(
Each survey asked experts to look 15 years into the future, so the 2015 data offers
predictions for 2030).

## The Future of Wind Plants

Experts expect plant sizes of 1,100 megawatts (MW) for fixed-bottom and 600 MW for
floating offshore wind. These and many other design choices discussed in the article
[can support Levelized cost of energy reductions](https://nrel.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cfb46c07f566f9a82b5fa0488&id=8e9063d1e5&e=5b2d060ad8)
of 27% (onshore) and 17%–35% (floating and fixed-bottom offshore) by 2035 compared
to today. New plant designs can also enhance wind energy’s grid service, for example,
via project hybridization with [batteries](https://greenlivingguy.com/2020/07/what-is-an-off-the-grid-home-system-and-how-to-convert-your-home-into-one/)
and hydrogen production.

“Our research provides a much-needed benchmark for representing future wind technologies
in power sector models,” Beiter said. “By explaining the economics behind wind energy
design choices, this article addresses a critical research gap.”

The authors identify economic mechanisms that drive these design changes. It includes
economies of scale from larger turbines, larger plant size, and greater siting flexibility.
In essence, these mechanisms drive design choices. The value from reduced costs 
or higher [energy production exceeds](https://greenlivingguy.com/2025/08/chinas-renewable-energy-capacity-exceeds-expectations/)
the incremental expense to obtain them.

## About the Survey

The comprehensive global expert survey was made possible through an international
research partnership. Moreover, under the auspices of the International [Energy Agency Wind](https://greenlivingguy.com/2025/08/bladeless-wind-turbines-the-future-of-energy/)
Technology Collaboration Programme. Its mission is to advance wind energy research,
development, and deployment in its member countries.

The Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office funded the research.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for renewable
energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the 
[Energy Department by the Alliance for Sustainable](https://greenlivingguy.com/2026/04/india-gw-wind-energy-milestone-for-sustainability/)
Energy LLC.

Source: [NREL.gov](https://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2022/experts-forecast-wind-plant-of-future-to-be-taller-more-economical.html?utm_source=NREL+News&utm_campaign=81e31fd77b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_10_10_06_09_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_807f77e7f4-81e31fd77b-289458543)

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
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Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
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