Casey Nichols is a mechanical engineer at the Flatirons Campus in Boulder, CO specializing in the development of embedded systems for data acquisition in the validation of marine renewable energy devices. Casey is a developer on the MODAQ (Modular Ocean Data Acquisition) project utilizing LabVIEW, instrumentation and embedded compact RIO controllers for field and laboratory testing of ocean energy devices. Casey also participates in research improving the manufacturing methods of composite wind blades through automation, robotic systems, and additive manufacturing.

Prior to NREL, Casey was a graduate research assistant at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he completed master's research on a novel micro hydropower turbine. His research focused on implementing a non-contact magnetic transmission for increased efficiency and reliability.

Research Interests

Embedded testing systems for marine renewable energy

Automated composites manufacturing

Marine renewable energy system design and validation

Education

B.S., Mechanical Engineering Technology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

M.S., Applied Energy and Electromechanical Systems, University of North Carolina at Charlotte