Public invited to learn about ongoing research at turbine anniversary event

How much energy does the University of Delaware’s wind turbine create? What kinds of research are taking place on it? Find out at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 23, when the University will hold a seminar about the structure located at its Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes.

In addition to powering the campus with clean energy, the 2-megawatt turbine serves as a critical research and educational tool for university, industry, federal, and community partners.

One of several research projects to be discussed at the seminar is an evaluation of the turbine’s susceptibility to corrosion, a special challenge in the moist salty air of coastal regions. The effort is expected to provide insights on increasing turbine durability.

Other projects to be discussed are helping to answer a common question about wind turbines: How do they affect birds and bats? UD and Delaware State University scientists are using acoustic monitoring, visual surveys, radar, and thermal imaging to assess bird and bat traffic and flight patterns near the Lewes turbine.

In addition to discussing ongoing research, the June 23 presentation will include summaries of a post-construction sound study and a report on how much energy the wind turbine has delivered since its inception.