NREL Flatirons Campus | NREL Flatirons Campus

NREL Flatirons Campus
NREL Flatirons Campus
Lead Organisation National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Country USA
Type Wave, Tidal, Current, Floating Wind
Website https://www.nrel.gov/water/marine-energy.html
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  • Type of Testing Wave, Tidal, Current, Floating Wind
    Year Established 1974
    Temperate/Tropical
    Commercial/Array/Full scale/Scale Full scale, Scale
    Development Status Operational

    Overview

    The NREL Flatirons campus features multiple facilities for testing MRE devices and components. The Dynamometer facility contains three dynos for testing electrical generation capabilities ranging from 1kW to 5 MW. The NREL controllable grid interface enables developers and researchers to simulate integrating their devices with the grid, battery systems, or other energy production sources. This testing can be applied to a variety of sized systems- ranging from utilities connected to the national grid, to micro and nano grid simulations for distributed or localized power generation needs. The NREL structural research facility enables the verification and improvement of new component designs by providing the infrastructure to analyze structural properties and test new manufacturing processes and materials. The testing infrastructure can be used to validate components ranging from 1 meter to over 50 meters in length.
    In addition to the NREL Flatirons facilities, the NREL waterpower testing group works with developers to conduct power performance, power quality, and mechanical loads tests following the IEC TS 62600 requirements. NREL provides full open-water testing and resource measurement support that includes provision of sensors, instruments and data acquisitions systems, along with the engineers and technicians for installation, operation, data processing, and data management.
  • Number of Berths
    Water Depth
    Min Water Depth (m)
    Max Water Depth (m)
    Avg Water Depth (m)
    Annual mean significant wave height
    Maximum recorded wave height
    Mean (averaged current speed)
    Maximum current speed
    Maximum tidal range
    Mean wind speed
    Max wind speed
    Seabed type
    Total test area (km2)
    Distance to land
    Grid connected
    Grid connection capacity
    Rated export capacity and connection
    Proximity to nearest harbour (km)

  • Demonstration Projects

    R&D Projects

    Infrastructure

    • Dynamometers: 5-MW, 2.5-MW, and 225-kW
    • Structural testing equipment include a modular servo-hydraulic test system capable of flows up to 680 liters per minute, hydraulic actuators with for capacities between 5 and 500 kN and stroke capacities up to 1.5meters, five reaction stands, 100 and 500 kN loads frames, and winches for quasi-static loads applications.
    • Manufacturing equipment: composites, 3D printers
    • Data Acquisition system
    • Office Space
    • Controllable Grid Interface

    Equipment available to support site deployments

    Wave Buoy, Data acquisition system

    Services of test programmes offered on site

    Power performance, power quality, mechanical loads, components testing