Summary

Experience

Senior Wind Energy Engineer|NextEra Energy Resources

Denver, COJun 2021Present

• Led engineering efforts for three utility-scale wind projects totaling 650 MW, increasing projected Annual Energy Production (AEP) by 4.5% through optimized turbine selection and micro-siting.
• Managed technical due diligence for potential acquisitions, identifying risks and opportunities that informed investment decisions on over $1.2 billion in assets.
• Developed and implemented advanced SCADA data analysis protocols, reducing turbine downtime by an average of 12% across a portfolio of 15 wind farms.
• Collaborated with grid operators to ensure successful interconnection and compliance for 200 MW of new capacity, mitigating potential curtailment issues.
• Mentored a team of junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.

Wind Project Engineer|Vestas Americas

Portland, ORJun 2018May 2021

• Designed and analyzed wind turbine foundations and tower structures, reducing material costs by 8% through value engineering without compromising structural integrity.
• Performed comprehensive wind resource assessments and energy yield analyses for 10+ projects (totaling 1.5 GW), utilizing WindPRO and Openwind software to forecast AEP with >97% accuracy.
• Coordinated with cross-functional teams (civil, electrical, environmental) to resolve design conflicts, resulting in a 15% reduction in project design lead time.
• Supported construction and commissioning phases, ensuring adherence to design specifications and resolving field issues, contributing to on-time project delivery.
• Implemented a new internal tool for wake effect modeling, improving the accuracy of projected energy output by 2% for complex terrain sites.

Projects

Hybrid Renewable Microgrid Design for Remote Community

Jan 2023Oct 2023

• Led the conceptual design and feasibility study for a 5 MW hybrid wind-solar-battery microgrid, projected to provide 100% renewable energy to a remote community.
• Optimized system sizing and control strategies using HOMER Pro, achieving a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) reduction of 18% compared to diesel-only generation.
• Developed grid integration plan to ensure seamless transition between islanded and grid-connected modes, enhancing energy security and reliability.

Advanced Wake Steering Control Implementation

Mar 2022Dec 2022

• Piloted and supervised the implementation of a new wake steering control algorithm on a 20-turbine wind farm, resulting in a measured 2.5% increase in annual energy production.
• Managed data acquisition and analysis from SCADA systems to validate performance gains against baseline operations.
• Collaborated with turbine OEMs to integrate new control logic safely and effectively, minimizing potential operational risks.

Wind Turbine Blade Erosion Prevention Study

Sep 2017May 2018

• Conducted a comprehensive research study on leading-edge erosion of wind turbine blades, identifying key environmental factors and material degradation mechanisms.
• Developed and tested novel coating solutions in lab conditions, demonstrating a 30% improvement in erosion resistance over standard materials.
• Presented findings at a national conference, contributing to industry best practices for blade maintenance and lifetime extension.

Education

University of Colorado Boulder|M.S. in Renewable Energy Systems

Boulder, COAug 2016May 2018

• Specialized in wind turbine aerodynamics and grid integration challenges.
• Thesis: "Optimization of Hybrid Wind-Solar Storage Systems for Grid Stability."
• Awarded Dean's Fellowship for academic excellence.

Colorado State University|B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Fort Collins, COAug 2012May 2016

• Graduated Magna Cum Laude with a 3.8 GPA.
• Recipient of the Departmental Award for Outstanding Senior Project in Sustainable Systems.
• Completed a Capstone project on small-scale wind turbine blade design and prototyping.

Publications

Mitigating Curtailment in High-Penetration Wind Grids Through Advanced Forecasting and Storage Integration

Apr 2023N. Williams, S. Chen, D. Rodriguez

Optimizing Wind Farm Layouts for Complex Terrain Using CFD and Genetic Algorithms

Nov 2021N. Williams, A. Gupta

Techno-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Wind-Solar-Battery Systems for Remote Applications

Jul 2018N. Williams, L. Kim

Skills

Wind Energy Engineering

Wind Resource AssessmentTurbine Technology & SelectionWind Farm Layout OptimizationEnergy Yield Analysis (EYA)Site Suitability AnalysisGrid Interconnection

Software & Simulation

WindPROOpenwindMATLABPython (Pandas, NumPy)ANSYS Fluent (CFD)AutoCAD

Project Management

Technical Due DiligenceCost Estimation & BudgetingStakeholder ManagementEPC CoordinationRisk AssessmentConstruction Support

Data Analysis & Operations

SCADA Data AnalysisOperational Performance MonitoringRoot Cause AnalysisPredictive MaintenanceStatistical ModelingPost-Construction Review

Codes & Standards

IEC 61400NERC CIPIEEE 1547OSHALocal Permitting RegulationsEnvironmental Impact Assessments