NREL Study: Tall Wind Turbines Could Make More Power

According to this NREL study, if Colorado builds their wind turbines on the plains to at least 262 feet they can produce three times as much energy than earlier estimates released in this Colorado Governor's Energy Office report in 2007 (PDF). The older estimates were based on turbines that were about 162 feet high. So for another 100 feet of material on a turbine one could generate three times as much energy. Hopefully wind farm investors will begin to see the greater ROI and will reverse this disturbing trend: "Vestas Cuts Forecasts as Financing Dearth Slows Turbine Growth". Nice work NREL. Another example of how science and research can pay off.