Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) celebrated the installation of Chicago’s first research-based advanced wind turbine at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 20 on the university’s main campus on the South Side. The small 8kW Viryd turbine is a part of the IIT Wind Energy Consortium, a million, two-year research project managed by the university’s Robert W. Galvin Center for Electricity Innovation and funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and private partners. The consortium is working to help reduce the cost of wind power so that the nation may reach its target of 20% Wind Energy by 2030. IIT Wind TurbineThe turbine stands on IIT’s Stuart Field at 31st and Federal Streets and is one of three turbines acquired by the university for research by the consortium. The 8kW Viryd turbine erected today is an advanced design that will serve as a test unit for optimization algorithms gained from stress testing on an identical unit installed in a university laboratory. The IIT Wind Consortium also conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 20 for its 1.5 MW GE wind turbine located on a wind farm in Marseilles, Illinois. This utility-grade research turbine is operated and maintained by Invenergy, the nation’s largest independent wind power generation company. The turbine is outfitted with high-performance technology designed to increase output and reduce wear and tear on components, which ultimately will increase the lifespan and performance of the equipment. www.iit.edu …
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