2009
FOR RELEASE: Friday, October 23, 2009
CONTACT: Sal Graven, NYSERDA
(518)-862-1090, ext. 3331
sg2@nyserda.org
Amber Trendell, AWS TrueWind
(518)213-0044 ext. 1020
atrendell@awstruewind.com
____________________________________________________________
AWS Truewind Launches New York Small windExplorer to
Support NYSERDA Small Wind Initiatives
ALBANY, New York. (October 23, 2009) Albany-based AWS Truewind, LLC, an international leader in renewable energy consulting, today announced the launch of a web-based small wind prospecting and siting application Small windExplorer. This state-of-the-art application was developed on behalf of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to provide statewide wind resource information to the small wind community.
The small wind market is becoming increasingly reliant upon map-based wind resource estimates to site residential and light commercial projects. The Small windExplorer was designed to be a user friendly, all inclusive solution for NYSERDA to provide their constituents with detailed and accurate wind resource information to facilitate responsible small wind development. The Small windExplorer provides free access to site-specific and highly accurate wind resource maps and reports to determine site viability.
“We are confident that the maps and data available through Small windExplorer will lead to a larger pool of successful projects where performance expectations are routinely met,” said Marie Schnitzer, Manager of Government and Solar Programs at AWS Truewind.
The Small windExplorer replaces AWS Truewind’s previous web-based wind resource tool, Wind Resource Explorer, which was commissioned by NYSERDA in 2003. Until now, Wind Resource Explorer has been the primary source of wind resource information for in-state applications to qualify sites for NYSERDA’s wind incentive program. The much improved Small windExplorer application provides an easy-to-use interface that utilizes Google Maps® technology and leverages the sophistication of AWS Truewind’s utility-scale wind prospecting and initial resource analysis application windNavigator ®.
“NYSERDA is pleased to partner once again with AWS Truewind, a widely-respected New York-based leader in renewable energy. The introduction of this software technology will assist NYSERDA in disseminating accurate wind resource information to our network of eligible installers as well as to our current and potential customers,” said Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA. “New York’s network of eligible installers stands to benefit the most. The ability to access high-quality wind resource data and produce energy estimates will assist in properly siting wind turbines where the wind resource is most abundant.”
The New York Small windExplorer features newly validated 200 meter horizontal grid resolution wind maps at appropriate hub heights and two reporting options for residential users and certified installers.
According to Schnitzer, “These features significantly reduce the uncertainty surrounding the definition of local wind resources in lieu of on-site wind measurements. Typically, utility-scale wind projects require one year of onsite meteorological data, which can be quite costly for wind systems less than 100 kW. By incorporating high-resolution wind resource data at appropriate heights the Small windExplorer user will have enough information to make an informed decision about their project site.”
One of the key benefits of the Small windExplorer application is the unprecedented public access to automated wind resource reports based on high-resolution data. These reports, which include average annual wind speeds for three appropriate hub heights, a wind rose image, a wind resource map displaying mean annual wind speeds and an interpretation of results will provide users with highly accurate information with the convenience of a web-based environment so that they can make informed decisions about their project site.
The New York Small windExplorer features a separate login for NYSERDA certified wind installers to access advanced reporting options such as loss inputs so that estimates of annual energy output for program specific turbine models can be further refined. The Small windExplorer’s advanced report will be used to qualify sites in New York State for NYSERDA’s various incentive programs.
New York State’s Small windExplorer can be accessed at the following website: http://nyswe.awstruewind.com. More information on Small windExplorer can be obtained from AWS Truewind: http://www.awstruewind.com/contact.cfm.
About AWS Truewind, LLC
AWS Truewind has been an international leader in renewable energy consulting for over 25 years. Our suite of integrated services and innovative products support the full project lifecycle from resource mapping (windNavigator®, MesoMap®, WindSurvey), energy assessment and project engineering (SiteWind®, openWind®) to due diligence, performance evaluation and power production forecasting (eWind®). Our professional staff possesses in-depth knowledge and experience in all phases of project development which ensures a consistent, integrated solution. (www.awstruewind.com | http://navigator.awstruewind.com)
About NYSERDA
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority uses innovation and technology to address some of New York’s most pressing energy and environmental problems in ways that benefit the State’s economy. Created in 1975, NYSERDA’s clean energy, energy efficiency, and environmental programs and services provide a vehicle for the State to work collaboratively with businesses, academia, industry, and homeowners to develop a diversified energy portfolio and facilitate the introduction of advance clean energy and sustainable technologies. (www.nyserda.org)
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