Primary Uses
- Met tower placement
- Site suitability
- High-level site identification
- Initial turbine layout
Wind Spatial Mapping enables you to understand how wind resources are distributed across a proposed project area, facilitating high-level project planning and optimal met tower siting.
Using proven, state-of-the-art techniques, 3TIER delivers high-resolution spatial wind resource data anywhere in the world. This product utilizes the latest mesoscale NWP (Numerical Weather Prediction) models and can be provided even before on-site observational data have been collected. The analysis includes easily interpreted annual and monthly mean wind speed maps and accompanying data files that integrate with your own internal systems to facilitate further evaluation. Spatial mapping can be performed at resolutions ranging from 4.5 km down to a few meters depending upon the needs of the client. On-site observations can also be statistically integrated into the analysis to enhance accuracy.
Optional power density and/or power capacity factor spatial mapping is also available across the entire project location for a combined wind and power mapping study. In addition, 3TIER can provide a supplementary Site Analysis Report offering temporal analysis of the wind conditions at specific locations within the selected region to increase your confidence that the resource will be available when you need it.
The analysis is delivered as a Portable Document File (PDF) report with data files in an easily integrated, comma-separated value (CSV) format.
Wind Spatial Mapping is based on the latest atmospheric science techniques and involves running a mesoscale NWP model for an entire project area. 3TIER primarily employs an NWP model called WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting). This model is widely supported and continually enhanced by the global atmospheric science and research community.
For spatial mapping purposes, the WRF model is run across the specified domain, producing a single calendar year of data where each individual day of that year has been drawn from the last 10 years. This methodology produces wind speed values that are representative of the long-term mean conditions while maintaining the seasonal cycle of the wind resource. When observational data are available, 3TIER can run the WRF model for a time period concurrent with observations to create a corrected map using a Model Output Statistics (MOS) process, which removes bias and reduces Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE). WRF can be run at horizontal resolutions from 4.5 km down to 500 meters. 3TIER can also downscale the data to a horizontal resolution of 90 meters or finer using a microscale diagnostic model called TVM.
In order to perform spatial mapping analysis, the coordinates of the area to be mapped must be provided. If MOS-correction is to be performed, 3TIER must receive wind measurements from the client.
If you are unfamiliar with the technical terminology on this page, please visit our Glossary for more information.
