Wind Power Class

This dataset provides an estimate of annual wind resources for the Northeast. It was developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. The wind power classes are described in the attached table.

Areas designated class 3 or greater are suitable for most utility-scale wind turbine applications, whereas class 2 areas are marginal for utility-scale applications but may be suitable for rural applications. Class 1 areas are generally not suitable, although a few locations (e.g. exposed hilltops not shown on the maps) with adequate wind resource for wind turbine applications may exist in some class 1 areas. The degree of certainty with which the wind power class can be specified depends on three factors: the abundance and quality of wind data; the complexity of terrain; and the geographical variability of the resource. A certainty rating was assigned to each grid cell based on these three factors, and is included in the Wind Energy Resource Atlas of the United States. 

Wind Power Class Resource Potentials: 1= Poor, 2=Marginal, 3=Fair, 4=Good, 5=Excellent, 6=Outstanding, 7=Superb