Caroline works to advance the current state-of-the-art in mesoscale modeling as it specifically pertains to wind energy. Caroline uses mesoscale models to research wind resources in various countries, and participates in on- and offshore boundary layer research and in the coupling of the mesoscale flow features (kilometer scale) to the microscale (tens of meters). Further areas of interest include solar energy, large eddy simulations, and data assimilation for renewable energies. She is the technical lead for NWTC’s Atmospheric Science and Resource Assessment portfolio.

Research Interests

Numerical weather prediction for renewable energies

Boundary-layer meteorology

Mesoscale-to-microscale coupling

Offshore atmospheric science

Education

Ph.D., Forecasting for Wind Energy, Technical University of Denmark

M.S., Meteorology, University of Innsbruck, Austria

Professional Experience

Senior Scientist, NREL (2012–Present)

Ph.D. Employee, Technical University of Denmark (2009–2012)

Research Assistant, University of Innsbruck (2007–2008)

Associations and Memberships

American Meteorological Society, Renewable Energy Committee

IEA Wind Task 36

Expert on IEC TC Numerical Site Calibration for Power Performance Testing of Wind Turbines

Member of the AWEA U.S. Offshore Wind Metocean Conditions Characterization Working Group.

Featured Work

Mountain waves can impact wind power generation, Wind Energ. Sci. (2021)

Coupling Mesoscale Budget Components To Large-Eddy Simulations for Wind Energy Applications, Boundary-Layer Meteorology (2021)

Evaluating the WFIP2 Updates To the HRRR Model Using Scanning Doppler Lidar Measurements in the Complex Terrain of the Columbia River Basin, Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy (2020)

Development of a Time-Height Profile Assimilation Technique for Large-Eddy Simulation, Boundary-Layer Meteorology (2020)

The Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP 2): General Overview, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. (2019)

The Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP 2): Observational Field Campaign, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. (2019)

Improving Wind Energy Forecasting through Numerical Weather Prediction Model Development, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. (2019)

On Bridging a Modeling Scale Gap: Mesoscale to Microscale Coupling for Wind Energy. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. (2019)

A Review of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Bulk Power System Planning and Operations in the United States, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (2018)

Awards and Honors

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute Fellow (2020)

NREL Chairman's Award (2019)

NREL Excellence Award for Outstanding Public Information (2017)

NREL Outstanding Mentor Award (2014)

NREL Team of the Month Award (2013)