DOE Partners with University of Houston on Wind Turbine Testing Facility

The Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory is partnering with the University of Houston to create the Texas-NREL Large Blade Research and Test Facility (LBR&TF) in Ingleside, Texas. The facility will be designed, built, and operated by the University of Houston with operational support including $2 million in equipment from NREL. Completion is slated for 2010. The project will provide complete testing of wind turbine blades up to 210 feet long. The University of Houston is the general manager of the Lone Star Wind Alliance (LSWA), a public/private partnership supporting the wind industry in the state of Texas and nationwide. The facility will be sited on 22 acres donated by BP Alternative Energy, a founding member of LSWA.