NREL’s National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) is the 

nation’s premier wind energy technology research facility. 

Research at the NWTC encompasses wind and water 

devices. The NWTC’s specialized facilities and personnel provide 

technical support critical to the development of advanced wind 

and water energy systems. From the base of a system’s tower to 

the tips of its blades, NREL researchers work side-by-side with 

wind industry partners to increase system reliability and reduce 

wind energy costs so that wind energy can increase its contribution to our nation’s energy portfolio. The NWTC’s research and test 

facilities are unique to the nation. Its location at the foot of the 

Colorado Rockies provides diverse and robust wind patterns ideal 

for testing. The NWTC’s unique and highly versatile facilities can 

test wind turbine components and prototypes from 400 watts to 

multi-megawatts in power rating.

The NWTC — A National Asset

Since the NWTC was dedicated as the nation’s premier wind 

energy research facility in 1993, wind energy has become one of 

the fastest growing electricity generation sources in the world. 

During the past decade, our nation’s wind energy capacity has 

grown from less than 2,000 megawatts (MW) to more than 

35,000 MW. But at just over 35,000 MW, wind energy still comprises only about 2% of the nation’s electricity generating capacity. With appropriate research and development, NREL scientists 

believe that wind power can grow substantially, and the research 

conducted at the NWTC is leading the way to helping foster a 

wind energy market in which both large and small companies 

can compete. 

NWTC Facilities and Capabilities

The wind industry and community members have learned they 

can depend on the experience, capabilities, and specialized 

equipment housed at the NWTC to advance technology, increase 

performance, and improve reliability. NREL’s Wind Center provides 

its industry partners with every aspect of the technical support 

they need to take a wind turbine from the design table to the 

marketplace and to answer the many questions about wind 

energy development. 

The NWTC is located at the foot of the Colorado Rockies, an ideal location for wind energy 

research because of its highly variable winds and reliable winter storms. PIX01618.

Facilities

The NWTC is a 305-acre (approximately 1 mile by 1⁄2 mile) area 

comprised of field test sites, test laboratory facilities, industrial 

high-bay work areas, machine shops, electronics and instrumentation laboratories, and office areas. Although continuously changing, there are hundreds of test articles and supporting components such as turbines, meteorological towers, custom test 

apparatus, test sheds, storage areas, calibration and measurement 

instruments, data acquisition systems, load frames, computers 

and electronics, machine tools, supporting heavy equipment, 

and associated required infrastructure including electrical power, 

water, fire protection, and fiber optic communications. All NWTC 

testing facilities and capabilities are specific to developing wind 

energy technology. 

Capabilities

The NWTC has the capability in place to readily support the 

installation and testing of multiple MW-scale and distributed wind 

turbines. NREL’s NWTC conducts research across the complete 

spectrum of engineering disciplines that are applicable to wind 

energy, including: atmospheric fluid mechanics and aerodynamics; 

The National Wind Technology Center

A Proven and Valued Wind Industry Partner

National Wind Technology Center

NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
Accreditation

As a facility accredited through the American Association of 

Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) to perform several critical tests, 

the NWTC provides the high quality testing required by wind 

turbine certification agencies, financial institutions, and other 

organizations throughout the world. A2LA is an independent 

organization that audits and monitors all NWTC testing activities 

to ensure that sufficient quality control processes are followed to 

produce reliable test results. The NWTC is accredited to perform 

the following tests in accordance with international standards:

•	 Acoustic Noise to IEC 61400-11 and MEASNET

•	 Power Performance to IEC 61400-12-1 and MEASNET

•	 Mechanical Loads to IEC 61400-13

•	 Power Quality to IEC 61400-21 and MEASNET

•	 Duration Testing to IEC 61400-2

•	 Safety and Function to IEC 61400-2

Contact the National Wind Technology Center at 303-384-6900.

Helpful Web Sites

The National Wind Technology Center

www.nrel.gov/wind

Department of Energy Wind and Hydropower 

Technologies Program

www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro

dynamics, structures, and fatigue; power systems and electronics; 

and wind turbine engineering applications.

The NWTC’s specific wind energy research capabilities include: 

•	 Design review and analysis 

•	 Software development, modeling, and analysis

•	 Systems and controls analysis

•	 Technical support

•	 Transmission and grid integration

•	 Wind resource assessment

The W’s of Energy: Wind and Water

What do wind and water have in common? Marine hydrokinetic 

(MHK) energy devices are high-force, low-speed machines, similar 

to wind turbines that convert the kinetic energy of a moving fluid 

into electrical energy. The U.S. Department of Energy awarded 

the NWTC $7.5 million (over three years) for continued research 

on marine hydrokinetic energy devices. Development of energy 

through the Earth’s largest, most predictable, and renewable 

water resources – its oceans and rivers – require increasingly 

efficient, high capacity devices designed and deployed to maximize performance and reduce capital costs. NWTC has begun 

research and development efforts that test and validate machine 

performance and lesson inefficiencies. These, in turn, are expected 

to increase investor and regulator confidence and lead to the 

creation of a U.S. marine energy industry.

Wind power is the fastest growing new source of power generation in the world. PIX12087.

A 44.5-meter blade static test performed at the NWTC. PIX14708

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401 • 303-275-3000 • www.nrel.gov

NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

NREL/FS-500-45647 • October 2010

Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing at least 50% wastepaper, including 10% post consumer waste.

Photo credits for page 1 masthead: PIX15758, PIX15005, PIX12415, and PIX14691.