Distributed Wind

Enabling wind energy for on-site 
and local power generation

Photo Search

Wind turbines used as distributed energy resources—also called distributed wind—produce electricity that is consumed on-site or locally, as opposed to large, centralized wind farms that generate bulk electricity for distant end users. Each year, PNNL launches a search for the best distributed wind energy photos across the United States and its territories for PNNL's Distributed Wind Photo Gallery. The annual photo search aids PNNL’s efforts to highlight distributed wind technologies and the customers they serve.

The top selected photos for 2024 are:

Two small wind turbines in an agricultural setting

Top photo: Agriculture category
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Technology: Bergey Excel 15
Credit: American Windpower

A small wind turbine in an industrial setting with the shadow of another turbine in the foreground.

Top photo: Commercial/Industrial category
Location: Tonawanda, New York
Technology: Northern Power Systems 100B-24
Credit: Padma Kasthurirangan, MSEE (She/Her)

Small wind turbine on a residential property surrounded by grass.

Top photo: Residential category
Location: Newton, Iowa
Technology: Skystream 3.7
Credit: Todd Hammen

Rural baseball field with a wind turbine in the background.

Top photo: Institutional category
Location: Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Technology: Vensys 82
Credit: Sarah Gates

Three ducted wind turbines.

Top photo: American-Made category
Location: Canton, New York
Technology: Ducted Wind Turbines D3 3.5 kW
Credit: Ken Visser, Ducted Wind Turbines

Small wind turbine with a sunset in the background.

Top photo: Glamour category
Location: Neodesha, Kansas
Technology: Pecos Wind Power PW85
Credit: Pecos Wind Power

The runners up are:

Wind turbine in an agricultural setting next to a dirt road.

Runner up: Agriculture category
Location: Hamlin, New York
Technology: Siva 250/50 kW
Credit: Padma Kasthurirangan, MSEE (She/Her)

Wind turbines at dusk surrounded by trees.

Runner up: Commercial/Industrial category
Location: Johnston, Rhode Island
Technology: Vensys 120
Credit: Sarah Gates

Photo taken from the top of a crane looking down on a small wind turbine.

Runner up: Institutional category
Location: State College, Pennsylvania
Technology: Skystream 3.7
Credit: Finley R. Shapiro

Wind turbine next to railroad tracks.

First runner up: American-Made
Location: Neodesha, Kansas
Technology: Pecos Wind Power PW85
Credit: Pecos Wind Power

Aerial photo of two wind turbines in a rural setting.

Second runner up: American-Made category
Location: Red Lake Falls, Minnesota
Technology: GE 2.5 MW
Credit: Charles Newcomb

Silhouette of a wind turbine with a sunset in the background

Runner up: Glamour category
Location: Red Lake Falls, Minnesota
Technology: GE 2.5 MW
Credit: Charles Newcomb

The selected photos are used in multiple ways, including in PNNL and DOE reports, outreach efforts, webpages, presentations, newsletters, and other engagement opportunities, with attribution to the photographer.

Questions?

Reach out to PNNL's distributed wind team at distributedwind@pnnl.gov.

Research topics

Distributed Wind