Wind Workforce/Curricula/College Curricula
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Curricula: College
Getting Started
As students transition from high school to college, we can continue to address more complicated concepts with wind characteristics and generating electricity from wind power. Similar to high school, in college these concepts can be addressed in different classes like physics, engineering, biology, and environmental and earth sciences. The concepts and resources listed here are appropriate for first and second year courses.Expand Your Understanding
Concepts and Standards
Physics, Environmental Studies
General Energy Concepts and Where Does Wind Fit?
- How do we generate electricity?
- What are the consequences of electricity generation?
- How do we measure energy and power?
- How can electricity generated by wind impact climate change?
- What is wind power’s potential?
Physics, Earth Science
What Is Wind?
- How do we measure wind?
- What causes the wind?
- Where is it windy?
- Why does the wind matter?
Physics, Engineering, STEM
Turbine Design and Function
- What are the major parts of a turbine?
- How do these parts work together on a functional turbine or windmill?
- Let’s construct and test your own turbines.
Biology & Environmental Science
Siting and Impacts of Wind Power
- What criteria are used to site wind farms?
- How do wind turbines and wind farms impact people and wildlife?
Most Popular Activities
Shorter Explorations
If you have 1 to 3 days and want to explore wind energy, here are the most popular lessons that we use with students.
MacGyver Wind
Using identical bags of “junk,” students construct windmills that are designed to lift weights.
Turbine Blade Design
Students explore blade design, power output, and optimization on model turbines. A variety of lessons from NEED, KidWind & Vernier explore this.
Energy Assessments of Classrooms
Students explore power consumption and then select turbines that could power their classroom. (A variety of lessons from NEED and KidWind address these ideas).
Siting Wind Farms
Using analytical skills and a variety of data, students must find the best location for a wind farm and explore impacts to wildlife and stakeholders. (A variety of lessons from NEED and KidWind address these ideas).
Explore Materials
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At the end of this lab:
- Students will be able to understand density is a physical property of something.
- Students will be able to understand that air density changes because of pressure and temperature.
- Students will use appropriate technology and mathematics to make investigations.
- Students will be able to compare their calculated air density with the constant (1.225 kg/m³) in the wind turbine Power equation.
- Students will use volume to find density of certain objects.
1 resource(s)
- Day #1: Why Wind Power? (WindWise Unit #1 or NEED Intro Readings, NEED Activities – Exploring Wind Guide)
- Day #2/3: Life Cycle Impacts of Power Generation (WindWise Lesson # 12: How Does Wind Energy Affect Wildlife?)
- Day #4/5: Impacts of Wind Turbines on Birds and Bats (WindWise Lesson # 13: How Does Wind Impact Birds? and WindWise Lesson #14: How Does Wind Affect Bats?)
5 resource(s)
As you embark on the activities for the Connection Creation Contest, here are some useful resources to get you started.
Team Story Resources
- For inspiration crafting your team story, look at some of the examples from past years. Click on each of the team names here to read the stories from 2022 .
- Go to the engagement toolkit on Box for tips on social media outreach, including sample posts!
- Search out the CWC hashtag #CollegiateWind on your favorite social media platform to see what other teams are posting!
Understanding the Wind Industry Resources
- Find industry experts in our Collegiate Wind Competition LinkedIn group.
- Look for free webinars from the American Cleanpower Association to find names to reach out to.
- If you want to explore careers in the wind industry, the Department of Energy has a Career Map with descriptions of many of the most abundant jobs in the industry!
Outreach Event Resources
As you start to think about planning your outreach event, look into what kind of support exists at your university. Many universities have education or outreach offices that have experience connecting with students, schools and the public in the university community.
- Check out this useful document from KidWind to help you connect with schools if that is a part of your connection creation plan!
Other tips
- If you haven't already, consider forming a wind energy club at your university to help with recruiting new members and accessing university funding.
3 resource(s)
*** NEW Resources ***
West Coast Offshore Wind Resources
- Finding space: Siting Oregon's Wind Energy Areas [[1]]
- BOEM: Oregon Activities [[2]]
- BOEM: A Wind Energy Area Siting Analysis for the Oregon Call Areas [[3]]
- Canopy Offshore Wind Farm [[4]]
- California North Floating [[5]]
Floating Offshore Wind Resources - Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult
- Guide to a Floating Offshore Wind Farm [[6]]
- Floating Offshore Wind Center of Excellence [[7]]
- "The Opportunities and Challenges of Floating Offshore Wind," Blog by Ralph Torr, Head of Floating Wind at ORE Catapult [[12]]
Community Benefit Resources
- WINDExchange Community Benefits Guide [[13]]
- WINDExchange Community Benefits Database [[14]]
- "Community Benefits Tools and California Clean Energy Projects," Berkeley Law Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment Report [[15]]
- Clean Air Task Force community Benefits Resource Inventory [[16]]
- U.S. Department of Energy Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) Toolkit [[17]]
- U.S. Department of Energy CBA Resource Guide FAQs [[18]]
- Columbia Law School's Community Benefit Agreements Database [[19]]
- Data for Progress polling on voters' perceptions of community benefits agreements [[20]]
- Sea Grant - Community Benefit Agreements [[21]]
- "Making Offshore Wind Transmission Work for Communities," Regional Plan Association [[22]]
Cost modeling and cost-related resources
- “Onshore, offshore, or in-turbine electrolysis? Techno-economic overview of alternative integration designs for green hydrogen production into Offshore Wind Power Hubs” [[23]]
- Has a detailed cost model for offshore wind+electrolysis systems (appendices and supplementary info include a lot of information)
- NREL 2023 ATB for offshore wind – has additional references that may be extra useful for cost modeling [[24]]
- 2023 Offshore Wind Market Report [[25]]
- H2FAST documentation for cost modeling electrolysis systems [[26]]
Full Feature Wind Farm Design Software:
The tools below are used in the wind industry to design wind farms. Selecting and using one of these tools will help students learn valuable skills for entering the industry in the field of project development.
- Continuum:
- Continuum is an open-source wind energy software tool developed by wind professionals for the wind industry. It includes all tools needed to generate wind energy production estimates and to determine a site's suitability.
- To download the software and access training materials go here [[27]]
- Furow:
- The Furow software allows users to analyze meteorological data, calculate a site's wind resource, and design wind farm layouts in one interface.
- Students may download and try Furow by visiting this site [[28]]. Here you can also access demo videos to enhance your learning experience while using Furow for the first time.
- Technical assistance and full software license access are available via email Alberto Tejon (alberto.tejon@solute.es) or Mauricio Rich (mauricio.rich@solute.es).
- Openwind:
- If you are new to Openwind, try the restricted "training" software package and tutorials [[29]]
- To access a full academic version of Openwind email Nick Robinson (Nick.Robinson@ul.com) and Benjamin Blanchette (Benjamin.Blanchette@ul.com) and they will add you to the CWC ftp.
- Link to OpenWind tutorials from UL [[30]]
- New online help is being developed and can be accessed here [[31]]
- Link to OpenWind tutorial videos from California State University Maritime Academy [[32]]
- If you are new to Openwind, try the restricted "training" software package and tutorials [[29]]
- WaSP [[33]]
- WaSP by DTU Wind Energy is a software suite that allows the user to perform wind resource assessment, siting and energy yield calculation for wind turbines and wind farm.s. It is used for sites located in all kinds of terrain all over the world.
Wind Resource Data Sources:
- WIND Toolkit data via Windprospector, NREL [[34]]
- WIND Toolkit data via API [[35]]
- Data from the Marine Cadastre can be accessed using the national viewer here [[36]] and is a great resource to view offshore data.
Other Project Development Software and Resources:
- GIS software: Global Mapper [[37]]
- Global Mapper is a geographic information system software package currently developed by Blue Marble Geographics that runs on Microsoft Windows. It includes direct links to many data services including one-meter aerial imagery for the U.S., worldwide elevation data, topographic maps, Landsat satellite imagery, land cover data, the full Maine GIS catalog, aviation charts, OpenStreetMap vector data via WMS, and much more.
- Wind Resource software: Windographer [[38]]
- Windographer software enables you to import, analyze and visualize wind resource data.
- Performance and Financial software: System Advisor Model, NREL [[39]]
- SAM is a free techno-economic software model that facilitates decision making for people in the renewable energy industry.
- In-app Help Documentation is on the lower left of main software portal. Pro-tip: after selecting your technology model in SAM, look for the 'Help' button on the top right of the app window. That takes you directly to all help/documentation relating to that particular technology model.
- General Description [[40]]
- Intro to SAM (slide deck) [[41]]
- Coursework using SAM [[42]]
- SAM User Forum (very responsive) [[43]]
- Wind related SAM videos and technical reports/documentation [[44]]
- Jobs and Economics: JEDI model, NREL [[45]]
- The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models are user-friendly tools that estimate the economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation and biofuel plants at the local and state levels. Using JEDI, you can analyze the energy impacts of wind, biofuels, concentrating solar power, geothermal, marine and hydrokinetic power, coal, and natural gas power plants.
- The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models are user-friendly tools that estimate the economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation and biofuel plants at the local and state levels. Using JEDI, you can analyze the energy impacts of wind, biofuels, concentrating solar power, geothermal, marine and hydrokinetic power, coal, and natural gas power plants.
- 2021 Wind Technologies Market Reports, Department of Energy [[46]]
- Wind energy in the United States grew at a record pace in 2020, representing the largest source of new additions to the U.S. electric-generating capacity. Three market reports released by the U.S. Department of Energy detail trends in wind development, technology, cost, and performance through the end of 2020 (and in offshore wind through May 2021).
- Wind energy in the United States grew at a record pace in 2020, representing the largest source of new additions to the U.S. electric-generating capacity. Three market reports released by the U.S. Department of Energy detail trends in wind development, technology, cost, and performance through the end of 2020 (and in offshore wind through May 2021).
- Wind Energy Finance in the United States: Current Practice and Opportunities [[47]]
- This publication provides an overview of the wind project development process, capital sources and financing structures commonly used, and traditional and emerging procurement methods. It also provides a high-level demonstration of how financing rates impact a project’s all-in cost of energy.
- This publication provides an overview of the wind project development process, capital sources and financing structures commonly used, and traditional and emerging procurement methods. It also provides a high-level demonstration of how financing rates impact a project’s all-in cost of energy.
- 2019 Cost of Wind Energy Review [[48]]
- This report uses representative utility-scale and distributed wind energy projects to estimate the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for land-based and offshore wind power plants in the United States.
- This report uses representative utility-scale and distributed wind energy projects to estimate the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for land-based and offshore wind power plants in the United States.
- NREL's Annual Technology Baseline [[49]]
- To inform electric and transportation sector analysis in the United States, each year NREL provides a robust set of modeling input assumptions for energy technologies (the Annual Technology Baseline) and a diverse set of potential electricity generation futures or modeling scenarios (Standard Scenarios).
- To inform electric and transportation sector analysis in the United States, each year NREL provides a robust set of modeling input assumptions for energy technologies (the Annual Technology Baseline) and a diverse set of potential electricity generation futures or modeling scenarios (Standard Scenarios).
- REPORT: 2006 Wind Turbine Design Cost and Scaling Model [[50]]
- NREL report describing their model for estimating the cost of wind-generated electricity, from both land-based and offshore wind turbines.
- NREL report describing their model for estimating the cost of wind-generated electricity, from both land-based and offshore wind turbines.
- WISDEM software [[51]]
- Developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Wind Plant Integrated Systems Design and Engineering Model (WISDEM) software creates a virtual, vertically integrated wind plant from components to operations. This core systems engineering software tool captures important system interactions to achieve a better understanding of how to improve system-level performance and reduce costs. WISDEM couples engineering and cost models to make system-level tradeoffs, helping engineers see the big picture.
- Developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Wind Plant Integrated Systems Design and Engineering Model (WISDEM) software creates a virtual, vertically integrated wind plant from components to operations. This core systems engineering software tool captures important system interactions to achieve a better understanding of how to improve system-level performance and reduce costs. WISDEM couples engineering and cost models to make system-level tradeoffs, helping engineers see the big picture.
- Offshore Wind in the US Gulf of Mexico: Regional Economic Modeling and Site-Specific Analyses [[52]].
- This report describes the potential for wind in the Gulf Coast region, and describes the Galveston site for the 2022 project development contest.
- This report describes the potential for wind in the Gulf Coast region, and describes the Galveston site for the 2022 project development contest.
- USFWS Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines [[53]]
- These U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines help wind energy project developers avoid and minimize impacts of land-based wind projects on wildlife and their habitats. The goal of the voluntary guidelines is smart siting, design and operation of the nation's growing wind energy economy.
- Training series with five separate videos to cover different aspects of the guidelines and other topics related to wind energy [[54]]
1 resource(s)
Engineering Modeling/Fabrication Software:
- QBlade [[55]]
- QBlade is an open source wind turbine calculation software. The integration of the XFOIL/XFLR5 functionality allows the user to rapidly design custom airfoils and compute their performance polars and directly integrate them into a wind turbine rotor design and simulation.
- QBlade is an open source wind turbine calculation software. The integration of the XFOIL/XFLR5 functionality allows the user to rapidly design custom airfoils and compute their performance polars and directly integrate them into a wind turbine rotor design and simulation.
- OpenFAST [[56]]
- OpenFAST is a multi-physics, multi-fidelity tool for simulating the coupled dynamic response of wind turbines. Practically speaking, OpenFAST is the framework (or “glue code”) that couples computational modules for aerodynamics, hydrodynamics for offshore structures, control and electrical system (servo) dynamics, and structural dynamics to enable coupled nonlinear aero-hydro-servo-elastic simulation in the time domain.
- OpenFAST is a multi-physics, multi-fidelity tool for simulating the coupled dynamic response of wind turbines. Practically speaking, OpenFAST is the framework (or “glue code”) that couples computational modules for aerodynamics, hydrodynamics for offshore structures, control and electrical system (servo) dynamics, and structural dynamics to enable coupled nonlinear aero-hydro-servo-elastic simulation in the time domain.
- Ansys [[57]]
- Ansys offers 3D design tools free to students with their academic licenses.
- Ansys offers 3D design tools free to students with their academic licenses.
- Altair [[58]]
- Altair provides a range of scalable solvers under Altair CFD™, from detailed component analysis to full systems performance, as well as robust pre- and post-processing software for CFD.
- Altair provides a range of scalable solvers under Altair CFD™, from detailed component analysis to full systems performance, as well as robust pre- and post-processing software for CFD.
- Star CCM+ [[59]]
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+ is a multiphysics computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software for the simulation of products operating under real-world conditions. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ uniquely brings automated design exploration and optimization to the CFD simulation toolkit of every engineer.
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+ is a multiphysics computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software for the simulation of products operating under real-world conditions. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ uniquely brings automated design exploration and optimization to the CFD simulation toolkit of every engineer.
- Matlab, Mathworks [[60]]
- MATLAB is a programming and numeric computing platform used by millions of engineers and scientists to analyze data, develop algorithms, and create models.
- MATLAB is a programming and numeric computing platform used by millions of engineers and scientists to analyze data, develop algorithms, and create models.
- Simulink, Mathworks [[61]]
- Simulink enables you to design your system with multidomain models, simulate before moving to hardware, and deploy without writing code.
- Simulink enables you to design your system with multidomain models, simulate before moving to hardware, and deploy without writing code.
- Autodesk Fusion 360 [[62]]
- Free CAD + CAM software for individuals who are doing hobby, non-commercial design, and manufacturing projects.
- Free CAD + CAM software for individuals who are doing hobby, non-commercial design, and manufacturing projects.
- Onshape (online CAD modeling) [[63]]
- Onshape is a professional-grade, cloud-based CAD platform that students and educators can access for FREE on any device, anywhere, anytime. Onshape is the only Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product development platform that combines CAD, built-in data management, real-time collaboration tools, and business analytics.
- Onshape is a professional-grade, cloud-based CAD platform that students and educators can access for FREE on any device, anywhere, anytime. Onshape is the only Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product development platform that combines CAD, built-in data management, real-time collaboration tools, and business analytics.
- Solidworks [[64]]
- 3D design and product development solutions from SOLIDWORKS help you conceptualize, create, validate, communicate, manage, and transform your ideas into product designs.
- 3D design and product development solutions from SOLIDWORKS help you conceptualize, create, validate, communicate, manage, and transform your ideas into product designs.
General Wind Energy and Turbine Design Books/Reference Materials:
- Wind Energy Explained, J.F.Manwell
- Small Wind Turbines, David Wood
- Wind Energy Engineering, Pramod Jain
- Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines, Martin O.L. Hansen
2 resource(s)
- Day #1: Why Wind Power? (WindWise Unit #1 or NEED Intro Readings - NEED Activities – Exploring Wind Guide)
- Day #2/3: Measuring Wind, Understanding Wind, Where Is It Windy? (NEED Wind for School Lesson and WindWise Unit #2)
- Day #4/5: Siting a Wind Turbine at School, Windy (NEED Wind for School Lesson )
- Extensions
- Offshore Wind (Wind Wise Lesson #17)
5 resource(s)
Students explore power consumption and then select turbines that could power their classroom. (A variety of lessons from NEED and KidWind address these ideas).
2 resource(s)
Discover advanced concepts of wind turbine technology, including gearboxes and generator construction (with the GenPack add-on). Students can use the blades they design to generate electricity, lift weights, and pump water. This kit is perfect for grades 7–12 and college. All you need to add is a wind source, basic tools, and imagination!
1 resource(s)
Course links and schedule for online professional masters in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems at Penn State. Some course links lead to syllabi and others lead to open access course materials which are available through Creative Commons licensing. This material is graduate school level.
1 resource(s)
Windmills are the ancient ancestors of modern wind turbines. To understand how wind turbines work, one must first understand a basic windmill. This lesson will help students understand how a windmill captures the energy of the wind and converts it into usable mechanical energy, which is the basis for understanding modern wind turbines. Students will use the engineering design process and the scientific method to design, build, test, and improve their models.
4 resource(s)
Using identical bags of “junk,” students construct windmills that are designed to lift weights. Explore the engineering behind blade design and windmill construction and participate in the MacGyver Windmill Challenge.
1 resource(s)
Students will work in teams to build what they believe will be the most efficient model wind turbine in the classroom. They will calculate and measure power and tip speed ratio and design experiments to explore
the variables that can affect turbine efficiency.
4 resource(s)
Basic aerodynamic theory is rooted in the actuator- or rotor disk model. In this lesson, we are going to begin with a power curve of a modern pitch-controlled wind turbine, then continue with the basics of the actuator- and rotor disk models.
1 resource(s)
In collaboration with DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, renewable energy consultants AWS Truepower developed an educational package to teach the basic functionality of the siting software Openwind®, a tool used to design and assess utility-scale wind farms. The resource link leads to an FTP site; if you cannot access FTP sites, contact your IT department and then contact Openwind Support.
Published in December 2017, the four lesson plans in the package are best suited for college students and guide users through increasingly complex software functionality and wind energy concepts. No previous geographic information system data knowledge is required. The package includes 19 pre-configured workbooks and a demo version of the software, limited to a single geographic region. The workbooks are intended to teach students the basics of wind farm siting and introduce elements of the landscape that affect wind flow and turbine performance. DOE provides funding support for the Wind for Schools project, and 12 Wind Application Centers located at universities participating in the program are using the lesson plans. The KidWind Project is working to develop an adaptation for middle school and high school students.
2 resource(s)
Wind turbine aerodynamics and wind resource statistical analysis videos.
1 resource(s)
Students will learn to determine the amount of theoretical, mathematically calculated, power in the wind reaching a turbine and compare it to the actual production of the school turbine. Students will use the data to determine the efficiency of the school turbine. They can then use this information to discuss the positives and negatives of the school wind turbine.
3 resource(s)
- Day #1: Why Wind Power? (WindWise Unit #1 or NEED Intro Readings - NEED Activities – Exploring Wind Guide)
- Day #2/3: MacGyver Windpower (REcharge Labs Activity, MacGyver Wind)
- Day #4/5:Wind Turbines and Blade Design (NEED Activities,Exploring Wind Guide and WindWise Lessons #10 & #11 )
- Extensions
- Energy Transformations (WindWise Lesson #1)
- Can Wind Power My Classroom? (WindWise Lesson # 7 and NEED Wind for School Lesson)
- KidWind Challenge
- WhiteBox Learning, Design a Turbine Software
9 resource(s)
Using analytical skills and a variety of data, students must find the best location for a wind farm and explore impacts to wildlife and stakeholders. (A variety of lessons from NEED and KidWind address these ideas).
2 resource(s)
Students explore blade design, power output, and optimization on model turbines. A variety of lessons from NEED, KidWind & Vernier explore this.
3 resource(s)
Students will be able to compare tip speeds of a SkyStream 3.7 with the rated speed of the same turbine and will be able to discover blade speeds at various lengths (intervals) from the hub to the tip.
Students will be able to create a table to show the change in speeds at the different intervals of length from the hub and will discover that maximum blade speed is at the tip. Students will verify that maximum tip speed is at full radius.
Students will be able to write and illustrate an article that describes the difference in speed at the various intervals addressed in the assignment.5 resource(s)
Student learn how to calculate wind energy and power. Calculating the energy (and later power) available in the wind relies on knowledge of basic geometry and the physics behind kinetic energy.
1 resource(s)
XTurb-PSU is design and analysis code used at Penn State. It is maintained and developed by Sven Schmitz and his students. Here you will find several videos to help train you to use this code for wind turbine design and analysis.
1 resource(s)
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