WORK HISTORY

Energy Consultant, Tim Olsen Consulting, Denver, CO 1990-Present; Clients: GE Wind Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, HTH Wind Energy, Zond Z-750 48m Wind Turbine, Tehachapi, CAThe Wind Turbine Company, Global Energy Concepts, enXco, PS Enterprises, Cannon Energy Corp, Second Wind, TDH Associates, Carter Wind Turbines, Northern Power Systems, Stone & Webster Management Consultants, SeaWest San Gorgonio.

  • Perform resource and technology assessment and planning
  • Analyze and certify wind turbine structures and mechanical components
  • Optimize rotor blade aerodynamics, planform, and surface coordinates
  • Plan, instrument for, and execute wind turbine tests
  • Acquire and analyze data for performance, functional, structural, and fatigue  behavior; assure data quality
  • Model static and dynamic loads and predict fatigue life
  • Model hybrid system operations and economics

Research Engineer, Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI, now NREL), Wind Research Branch, Golden, CO 1988-1990.

  • Researched and created computational algorithms
  • Performed statistical, time series and spectral data analysis
  • Assisted with test planning and data acquisition
  • Built the Wind Data Analysis Tool Set (WINDATS): efficient, comprehensive software tailored for wind generator test data
  • Wrote the associated user's manual

Systems Engineer, Martin Marietta Denver Aerospace, Littleton, CO 1986-1987.

  • Simulated physical phenomena on computer using FORTRAN,  Pascal, parallel processing, and studied CADD and PROLOG
  • Built and managed space shuttle document data base
  • Wrote proposals and Failure Modes and Effects Analyses
  • Analyzed trajectories and orbital mechanics
  • Performed acoustic testing

Research Assistant, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , (VPI&SU), Mechanical Engineering Department, Blacksburg, VA 1984-1985.

  • Optimized turbomachinery designs
  • Measured and analyzed pressure signals and operating data
  • Surveyed literature and wrote thesis

Structural Analyst, Swales and Associates, Greenbelt, MD 1983-1984.

  • Designed space structures, checked statics and dynamics
  • Performed stress, finite element, and loads analyses
  • Assisted with NASA Goddard project coordination

EDUCATION

MS,  Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State  University, Blacksburg VA, 1985.

BS,  Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder CO, 1982.

BA, Music Performance, classical guitar, The Met, Denver CO, 1990.

LICENSES

Professional Engineer, Colorado # 29136.

ACTIVITIES

  • American Wind Energy Association.
  • Colorado Renewable Energy Society, Budget Committee.
  • Society for International Development, Program Coordinator.
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
  • National Society of Professional Engineers Mathcounts.
  • Colorado Population Coalition, steering committee.
  • Face To Face mediator, Alternatives to Violence Project trainer.
  • Soccer, sailing.

PUBLICATIONS

Wind Power Plant Evaluation: Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, San Clemente Island, California, National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL/SR-500-27527, Golden, CO, December 2000.

Performance and Economics of a Wind-Diesel Hybrid Energy System: Naval Air Landing Field (NALF), San Clemente Island, California, National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL/SR-500-24663, Golden, CO, July 1999.

Wind Resource Assessment and Wind Energy System Cost Analysis: Fort Huachuca, Arizona, National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL/SR-500-21121, Golden, CO, December 1997.

Hybrid Energy System Cost Analysis:  San Nicolas Island, California, National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL/TP-440-21120, Golden, CO, July 1996.

Wind Resource Assessment:  San Nicolas Island, California, National Renewable Energy LWindfarm, Tehachapi, CAaboratory NREL/TP-442-20231, Golden, CO, January 1996 (coauthor).

Parametric Study of Wind Turbine Loads Using Yawdyn, prepared for the ASME ETCE Wind Energy Symposium, New Orleans, LA, January 1994.

WINDATS - Wind Data Analysis Tool Set: User's Manual, Wind Technology Division, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, September, 1990.

Atmospheric Performance of the Special-Purpose SERI Thin-Airfoil Family: Final Results, prepared for the AWEA Windpower '90 Conference, Washington, DC, August, 1989 (coauthor).

Experimental Investigation of Unsteady Fan Flow Interaction with Downstream Struts, Mechanical Engineering Dept. thesis, VPI&SU, Blacksburg, December, 1985; also in Journal of Propulsion and Power, V.3, No.2, March-April, 1987.