Twelfth Annual Montana Tech Undergraduate Research Spring Fair Special--Guest Speaker Presentations

Presented by:
Gary Seifert, P.E., E.E., Senior Program Manager, Idaho National Laboratory

The Answer is in the Wind, an Overview of Wind Energy

Friday, April 4, 2008, 6:30 PM--Montana Tech, Mining Geology Building, Room 204

ABSTRACT

Everyone has heard a lot about wind, both the good and the bad.  Gary Seifert has been a power engineer at the Idaho National Laboratory for over 25 years and has been involved in research, installation of wind turbines in remote locations, and has worked with most all of the electrical energy sources in use today.  Gary will provide an informative presentation about many of the issues surrounding wind power today and specifically wind power in the Northwest.  He will also discuss the benefits of this new energy source, but will also discuss some of the challenges that wind energy brings to normal electrical grid operation.  Gary is an experienced speaker and has presented at several national and international wind and electrical energy conferences around the world and will bring that information with him and share it with the friends and neighbors of Montana Tech.  This presentation is very timely with the recent announcement of the Fuhrlander 2.5 MW Wind Turbine manufacturing facility in Butte, poised to help grow this valuable and interesting resource.

Unsolved Problems for Wide Spread Applications of Wind Energy

Saturday, April 5, 2008, 8:35 AM--Montana Tech, Student Union Building, Big Butte/Highlands Room

ABSTRACT

Gary Seifert, an Idaho National Laboratory power engineer, will continue his discussion of wind energy that he started the previous evening at Montana Tech. This presentation will address some of the big picture issues surrounding wind industry project, but specifically will discuss the challenges this growing industry has that young scientists and engineers will need to solve to help this industry grow safely, efficiently, and effectively.  Even though wind developments and turbines are very reliable and effective, they have many areas that are not optimized yet, that could be made more reliable, that could be made more environmentally friendly, and that could be easier to build and construct. Gary will present this information in a manner that will address all interest levels while offering challenges for the bright young minds like we have at Montana Tech to solve and bring in new better greener and more cost effective energy sources for the future.

Skystream Turbine 022 (Click on image for larger view)

Ascension Turbine (Click on image for larger view)

Fthall Gibson (Click on image for larger view)

GE Turbine in Idaho (Click on image for larger view)

Biography

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