Online Access to High-Resolution Wind Data Reduces Risk in Early-Stages of Wind Project Development

SEATTLE, Wash.—3TIER®, a global leader in renewable energy risk analysis, today announced the release of new 90 M Wind Prospecting Tools. The web-based service gives wind project developers and financiers immediate access to 90 meter resolution wind resource data across the continental US—the highest resolution data currently available on-demand. Such finely detailed data reveal how even small terrain features will affect wind power generation, enabling anyone with a financial stake in a project to better manage spatial risk during the earliest stages of project development.

"This low-cost offering provides wind project developers and financiers with an unrivaled ability to pinpoint promising sites and begin the process of assessing their long-term potential," said Dr. Scott Eichelberger, 3TIER director of resource assessment. "It lets them more quickly and accurately evaluate sites before deciding whether to invest in more costly on-site observational campaigns and in-depth resource assessments that are required to generate ‘bankable’ production estimates."

3TIER developed the 90 M Wind Prospecting Tools as a direct result of client interest in affordable access to high-resolution wind resource data. Clients can now purchase instant, online access to the entire continental US or just a specific region of interest. The 90 M Wind Prospecting Tools provide high-resolution wind resource data at multiple hub heights via an online interface that allows clients to view annual and monthly mean wind speed data, Weibull distribution parameters, and wind direction data. In addition to viewing the data online, clients will be able to download data in GIS format for a small incremental cost.

To produce an accurate and cost-effective 90 meter resolution dataset, 3TIER used a combination of mesoscale numerical weather prediction modeling and its own proprietary downscaling technology. Blending the two approaches achieves a commercially desirable balance between cost and accuracy, giving clients an affordable tool to effectively manage their wind resource risk during the preliminary stages of project development.

"We have created a very affordable point of entry into a suite of services that help our clients manage the risk of wind resource variability," continued Dr. Eichelberger. "At each step, we balance the accuracy we can achieve with the cost of achieving it, providing a laddered approach that ultimately yields the level of certainty each client requires to effectively manage their wind resource risk."

To learn more about this offering, please visit 3TIER's booth (#2140) at Windpower 2011, May 22-25 in Anaheim, CA or visit http://www.3tier.com.

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