Siemens Energy has announced it will open a wind research and development center in Colorado.

This story in the Denver Business Journal says the German energy company made the announcement at the American Wind Energy Association annual conference in Houston that the center will bring 50 new green-collar jobs to Boulder:

“We are very pleased to establish our first wind turbine R&D competence center in Boulder. The proximity of important institutions such as NREL and the NWTC, as well as the support received from the State of Colorado and the City of Boulder, make Boulder the perfect location for a R&D center in the U.S.,” Randy Zwirn, head of Siemens’ Energy Sector in the U.S., said in a statement.

“This is another great testament to Colorado’s growing New Energy economy,” Gov. Bill Ritter said in a statement. “We continue to establish ourselves as a worldwide leader in renewable, sustainable and modern energy. The arrival of Siemens Energy’s U.S. wind turbine research center draws particular attention to the creative and groundbreaking work being done in energy R&D in Colorado.”
The Siemens Energy facility will focus on testing basic wind turbine characteristics, performance-enhancing characteristics, and reliability in severe weather conditions. It also will partner with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory on a pilot wind project for the National Wind Technology Center.

The AWEA conference wraps up tomorrow (June 4th) with sessions on a variety of subjects ranging from making decisions about wind turbine supplies to dynamics of structures and rotors.