Renewable energy is a growth industry in the United States directly and indirectly supporting 75,000 onshore wind energy jobs and over 90,000 solar energy jobs . And, renewable energy successes spur technological innovation, increase economic development (e.g., technology exports), and contribute toward energy security and a cleaner environment. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has multiple roles to play in fostering the development of renewable energy such as through supporting scientific and decision-making challenges via environmental consultations intended to reduce the impacts of future offshore and coastal energy activities on trust resources, and bringing to bear capabilities and infrastructure for weather, water, and climate research, observations, mapping, modeling, and predictions.

This presentation will focus on how NOAA, and in particular the National Weather Service (NWS), is responding to the current and changing needs of the renewable energy community and enabling the deployment and sustainable operation of weather-dependent renewable energy technologies and services. These efforts are intended to address foundational needs and be broadly applicable to onshore/offshore wind, solar, hydropower and marine hydrokinetic (e.g., wind driven waves). Each type of renewable energy varies in technological development and scale of deployment, but plays an increasingly important part in building towards the Administration's goals for a clean energy economy.

The presentation will describe the role of the new cross-NOAA Energy Team and the one-NOAA approach to responding to energy issues. It will highlight the many recent partnership and outreach successes with government agencies and the private sector. It will touch upon outreach and coordination on public/private roles, secure data sharing of observations with industry and obtaining private sector characterization and prediction needs. Finally, it will reiterate the importance of recurring, open communication with the energy sector to avoid misunderstandings and to work together for the benefit of the nation.