Abstract:

Climate change, air pollution, and energy security are significant challenges this dissertation aims to help address by quantifying, for the first time, onshore and offshore wind resources at different relevant altitudes over both the United States and India, two of the largest global carbon emitters. Today, the United States is far short of meeting climate targets despite a rising penetration of onshore wind and a rapidly mobilizing offshore wind industry. India faces the challenges of meeting rising energy demand from a large and growing population, providing reliable and fully electrified energy, and eliminating its pollution and carbon emissions. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, high-resolution wind energy atlases were developed for the U.S. and India that account for technical, climate, environmental, and social exclusions. The outcome is a series of maps that illustrates the best places to develop wind farms, increasing certainty for resource planning, significantly expediting the wind farm siting process, reducing investment risk, decreasing future project costs, and increasing access to key data for energy planners. Findings indicate that, with all but the highest wind speed thresholds, more than sufficient area and potential is available to meet demand for all energy purposes in the U.S. and India by 2050 using wind energy alone. Potential is quantified for multiple hub heights above 100 m, with several wind speed thresholds, wake loss, and turbine scenarios. The U.S. offshore analysis presents an additional economic heatmap to indicate low-cost areas and a map of optimal turbine foundation type. The India onshore analysis quantifies maximum area and potential for repowering, as well as the co-locational opportunities for wind with solar PV resources. Atlases with this detail and scope will help bring wind energy ambitions to fruition, driving the U.S. and India closer to a clean, reliable, and equitable renewable energy system