The Windsor Locks branch of Collins Aerospace is dedicated to power and control systems. As part of the growing commitment to environmental stewardship, Collins Aerospace has pursued opportunities to integrate renewable energy systems into their grid. Both solar and geothermal evaluations have already been performed, and a solar photovoltaic installation will commence at the Windsor Locks site in the coming years. These energy sources will be used to lower the company’s carbon footprint, import from Eversource, and overall electricity costs. As the next step in this process, the objective of our senior design project is to assess the feasibility of implementing wind energy at Collins Aerospace’s Windsor Locks site by designing a 500 kW rated wind farm. Our procedure first involved research into how wind power works and using historical data to determine wind speeds over the site. In modeling the wind resource through a Weibull distribution, we then determined the best turbines to fit our parameters. We then created a wind farm layout that optimizes energy production, adheres to Federal Aviation Administration regulations, and creates convenience in interconnecting the turbines to the current power grid. Finally, we highlighted how the power generation of this wind farm will benefit Collins Aerospace both financially and in reaching its sustainability goals.

Our team collaborated with Electrical and Computer Engineering 16 on this project.