Proposed Research

• SDSU Wind Park - Northern Climate Testing of Small Wind Turbines

In Progress

• Economic Feasibility of GE 1.5MW Wind Turbine in Harding County 
• WRAN (continued research) [website]
  
• Analysis of wind resource in Harding County, Forestburg, Brookings, Mitchell using 34M MET Tower

Completed

• Industrial Anemometer Operational Characteristics Determination 
• Economic Feasibility of NorthernPower 100kW Wind Turbine at Sanborn Central
• Wind-Biomass Gasification Hybrid Generation for Rural America (Graduate 2010)
• Large Wind Turbine Blade glue thickness
• Blade Inspection Vehicle for Non-destructive Testing (Undergraduate 2010) [website]
• Wind Turbine Powered Communications System (Undergraduate 2010)
  
• Silo-mounted wind turbine design (Undergraduate 2009)
  
• Urban Turbine Cost/Performance Requirement Study (Undergraduate 2009)
• Charles Mix County Wind Feasibility Study (Undergraduate 2008) [website]

Tools and Resources

• EWIT (Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study)
• NREL wind turbine design software  FREE
• Project Ideas and Funding Sources
• Equation and Considerations when designing a wind turbine.  (PDF)
  

• DOE's Wind Turbine Site Analysis Tool
• http://dsat.cadmusgroup.com/Default.aspx
• WRAN (South Dakota Wind Resource Assessment Network)
• MET towers placed in select locations in South Dakota that measure the wind speed at at various heights for a number of years.
• www.sdwind.com
• Have to email Dr. Ropp to get access to the raw data.

• DOE2
• Energy Analysis software tools and climate BIN data.
• http://www.doe2.com/

• Green Footstep
• CO2 calculator for architects, engineers, and developers.  Specific to site and includes development, construction, and operation phases of a commercial or residential project.
  
• http://www.greenfootstep.org/
  

• EIA - Energy Information Administration
• Branch of DOE that keep data on all energy used/produced in USA
• http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html
  

• eVALUator - Energy Design Resources
• A Lifecycle impact calculator for building eficiency techniques.  Other software also available.
• http://www.energydesignresources.com/Resources/Software-Tools/eVALUator.aspx

• Energy-Star Website
• Appliance Efficiency
• http://www.energystar.gov/
  

• NREL South Dakota Wind Resource Map (50m hub height)
• http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/images/windmaps/sd_50m_800.jpg

• NREL - United States Atlas of Renewable Resources
• FREE Interactive map with Wind, Solar, Geothermal, Biomass resources listed in various resolutions and completeness.
• http://mapserve2.nrel.gov/website/Resource_Atlas/viewer.htm
• I suggest using the zoom features verses the "search by zip code"

• NREL - IMBY (In My Back Yard)
• FREE Wind and Solar performance calculator.
• http://www.nrel.gov/eis/imby/
• Data set is very incomplete.  South Dakota is NOT included.  Use Golden, CO as a great example of the results.
• HOMER - NREL
• Optimization Modeling for Distributed Power Systems.
• https://analysis.nrel.gov/homer/default.asp
• Wind, Solar, Hydro, Biomass, Diesel, Fuel Cell, etc.
  

• FirstLook (3tiergroup)
• Google Maps + statistical estimations of wind speeds and solar energy across the world based on extensive database of historical meteorological data. 
  
• http://firstlook.3tiergroup.com/
• API and GIS plugins for personalization.  Also composes Resource Assessment Report for a fee.

• windNavigator (AWS Truewind)
• maps + statistical wind speed estimates based on historical climatology databases.
  
• http://navigator.awstruewind.com/
• Allows for PDF download of information

• Solar Calculator (Weather Underground)
• Solar Resource and Feasibility Calculator that uses verified data and PV panel performance data to determine project feasibility.
• http://www.wunderground.com/calculators/solar.html

• Wind Resource Assessment Handbook
• best practice handbook for installation and analysis
• http://www.nrel.gov/wind/resource_assessment.html
  

• Microsoft Homh
• "Bringing people together to save energy and money."  FREE with Signup
• http://www.microsoft-hohm.com/

• VRS3 - Virginia Renewables Scoring System System
• Worksheets to help evaluate renewable energy systems
• http://vrs3.cisat.jmu.edu/

• Loop Link (Geo-Connections, Inc.)
• Web-based geothermal heating/cooling design software
• http://www.geoconnectionsinc.com/software/software.htm

• VIBE - DOE/NREL
• Part of OpenEI
• http://en.openei.org/wiki/Gateway:Wind

• USGS Interactive Map
  
• interactive map with USGS data layers.  Great for finding comparison of site elevations.
  
• http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/

• USGS Mine and Mineral Interactive Map
  
• interactive map with USGS data layers.  Great visual of fuel reserves in the United States.
  
• http://nationalatlas.gov/mapmaker
  

• Google Sketch Up
• Google SketchUp is used in many engineering applications.  Here is a link to some examples.
• https://docs.google.com/View?docID=dc837t9h_11cnftw5&revision=_latest&hgd=1