Jose Zayas (6120) and Dale Berg (6121) have been honored by Windpower Engineering magazine as two of the nation’s innovators and influencers in wind energy. Jose, senior managerof the Renewable Energy Technologies group, was named an influencer on wind energy. The magazine also named Berg, principal member of the technical staff at Sandia, an innovator of wind energy technology.

Jose sets priorities for Sandia’s Renewable Energy Technologies group at Sandia, and wind is an important part of that portfolio. With more than 14 years of experience in wind energy, Jose seeks ways to expand and accelerate Sandia’s role in the innovation, development, and use of all renewable energy technologies.

Jose recently led development of advanced water power systems, focusing on the emerging clean energy portfolio of wave, current, tide, and conventional hydro energy sources. He also leads a federal interagency research effort to overcome barriers to the continued deployment and acceptance of wind energy systems nationwide.

Jose joined Sandia in 1996 as a senior member of the technical staff. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico and a master’s degree in mechanical and aeronautical engineering from the University of California.

Dale has worked throughout his career on key innovations that make wind systems reliable and competitive sources of energy. In the early 1980s, he helped develop the first airfoils designed specifically for wind turbine applications. Up to that time, blade airfoils were the same as those used on aircraft and sailplanes.

In the late 1980s, Dale contributed to the aerodynamic and structural design of the technologically innovative variable-speed Sandia 34-meter Testbed Vertical Axis wind turbine. More recently, Dale worked on turbine aerodynamics and the development of systems for aeroacoustics testing, analysis, and data acquisition. Aero-acoustics testing pinpoints the sources of noise generated by turbine blades with the aim of developing quieter blades.

Dale leads a multidisciplinary team of Sandia employees and contractors developing a turbine rotor that will reduce turbine damage due to frequent wind variations. The rotor integrates blade-mounted load and flow sensors, small, fast-response blade control surfaces, and embedded intelligent control systems, which are frequently referred to as “smart” rotors.

Dale has worked in wind energy at Sandia since 1981. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, a master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico, and a doctorate in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology.

The special Influencers and Innovators section of Windpower Engineering is available online.