South Middlesex Times

Representatives from 18 countries convened at Rutgers University-New Brunswick for a global wind energy conference this month. The event, the North American Wind Energy Academy/WindTech 2024 Conference, focused on various aspects of wind energy, including climate change and turbine design.

Rutgers-New Brunswick Chancellor Francine Conway welcomed over 360 participants, stating, “You are here because you are the scientists, engineers, policymakers, industry leaders, students and scholars who are leading the future of wind energy.” She also highlighted New Jersey's leadership in offshore wind development under Gov. Phil Murphy's goal to generate 11 gigawatts of electricity from offshore wind by 2040.

Christine Guhl-Sadovy, president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, emphasized offshore wind as “a pillar of the Murphy administration’s economic and policy agenda.” Tim Sullivan from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority discussed the economic benefits and job creation potential of offshore wind.

Onur Bilgen, a Rutgers professor and general chair of the conference, noted that state and university support has advanced wind energy research. He credited commitments by Gov. Murphy and Rutgers for hosting the conference at Rutgers-New Brunswick.

The New Jersey Academic Alliance for Offshore Wind played a key role in organizing the event. Formed in 2023 with ten academic institutions including Rutgers-New Brunswick, it provided significant support for the conference.

Bilgen remarked on several achievements during NAWEA/WindTech 2024: record attendance numbers and diverse international participation from countries such as Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark among others. The National Science Foundation partially funded a Graduate Student Symposium attended by over 125 students.

Volunteers from Rutgers contributed to coordinating logistics across all three campuses. Fatma Mekik and Ayhan Yiğit Özel described their volunteering experiences as valuable networking opportunities with field leaders.

Leo Calzada expressed enthusiasm about learning new research areas such as climate change modeling and augmented reality applications in wind farms. He was one of three students awarded for Best Student Research Poster at the event.

Margaret Brennan-Tonetta co-leads the Rutgers Offshore Wind Energy Collaborative which includes faculty across multiple disciplines. She stressed collaboration's importance in fostering a wind-based economy in New Jersey. Funding from NJ-EDA supported curriculum development and community outreach initiatives related to wind energy.

Brennan-Tonetta concluded optimistically about future opportunities in this sector: "With all the advances occurring in science and technology...the future for wind energy is bright."