Oklahoma Is Wind Energy: Research & Development

Contact: 800-588-5959 

The Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative (OWPI), a long-standing research project between OU and OSU, investigates and promotes state wind resources, helping landowners and developers determine capacity and advocating strongly for wind energy development.

OWPI also offers economic analysis and information to potential wind energy investors and promotes networking among Oklahoma's wind power stakeholders.

Oklahoma also offers the Weather Sphere, a new name for the rich history of meteorological collaboration among the University of Oklahoma, federal, state and private-industry weather/climate groups centered in Norman.

The Weather Sphere is growing to become the international leader in weather education and training, research and development, and operations and services. More than 38 weather-related companies, agencies, and units from university, federal, state, and private-industry sectors work together on a variety of research and commercialization activities.

Oklahoma meteorologists are being called on to predict wind velocities for developers to aide in wind tower construction. However, according to the U.S. DOE, these meteorologists may find themselves on the permanent payroll. System operators can significantly reduce the uncertainty of wind output by using wind forecasts that incorporate meteorological data to predict wind power production.

Officials expect the new Helmerich Advanced Technology Research Center on the OSU-Tulsa campus to play a leading role in the enhancement of Oklahoma's advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and related sectors.

Helmerich ATRC faculty, research staff, graduate students, and visiting scholars will develop and commercialize the next generation of composites and materials for advanced manufacturing in four core areas: materials science and engineering; bio-based technologies; energy technologies; and information and control technologies.

Across those four areas, Helmerich ATRC will develop new materials from the application of nanotechnology to ceramics, composites, aerospace materials, polymers, and metals.