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Renewable Energy

Can we transform the generation and use of energy so that U.S. supplies are secure, reliable, and sustainable?

The nation’s needs for secure and sustainable energy require the best science to understand and predict the ecological, economic, and societal consequences of particular energy choices, as well as the effectiveness of strategies for minimizing environmental impacts and maximizing energy efficiency. NOAA supports these requirements through its unique mandates and expertise for ocean and coastal stewardship, coupled with longstanding research and observational assets, forecasting capabilities, and partnerships across government, academia, and the private sector.

Renewable energy technologies face a number of challenges that will need to be met in order to be successfully integrated into the nation's energy system. Building on its expertise in environmental observation and prediction, NOAA can contribute to the development and integration of renewable-energy sources through better atmospheric and oceanic observations, models, forecasts, and analysis tools.

For more detailed information see the Research for Renewable Energy Development or contact Melinda Marquis.

Current Renewable Energy Programs

• Wind Energy Forecast Improvement Project
• Department of Energy and NOAA Memorandum of Understanding in support of renewable energy technologies.

Resources for Solar Energy

• Surface Radiation Budget Network (SURFRAD): seven stations continously measuring solar, infrared, meteorology, and UV data, are located in climatologically diverse regions of the U.S. including Colorado, Illinois, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota.
• Integrated Surface Irradiance Study (ISIS) Network: solar and UV data data recorded 1995-2001 for nine sites located in California, Florida, New Mexico, North Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
• Local Analysis and Prediction System (LAPS) Solar Energy Forecast: rapid update, high resolution analyses and forecasts of solar radiation. The cloud analysis uses satellite, METARs, radar, aircraft and model first guess information to produce an hourly 3-D field of cloud fraction, cloud liquid, and cloud ice. The cloud analysis and satellite data together are used to produce a gridded analysis of total solar radiation. Forecasts are verified by solar radiation measurements that are not used in the analysis.

NOAA Directives Supporting Renewable Energy Development

NOAA Strategic Plan

Objective: A more productive and efficient economy through environmental information relevant to key sectors of the U.S. economy. The capacity to increase renewable energy generation, which is fundamental to economic security and sustainable development, is based in part on the ability to predict and harness precipitation, wind, and cloud patterns. Burgeoning renewable energy industries need more accurate resource assessments with better observations tailored to sources such as wind profiles over sea and land, solar irradiance and cloud cover measurement, as well as forecasts that support load balancing and energy supply planning on hourly, daily, weekly, seasonal, and interannual scales. [...] NOAA will develop information that is critical to the development, production, and transmission of renewable energy.

NOAA Annual Guidance Memorandum for FY 13-17

Define the future of NOAA’s weather and water services: FY11 Execution Focus. Create a federal agency-wide plan to address identified gaps in research and observing systems and NWS products needed to provide more accurate and reliable information for industry to use in the expansion of renewable energy capacity.

Objective: A more productive and efficient economy through environmental information relevant to key sectors of the U.S. economy