The company’s new alerting service will provide warnings when lightning, thunderstorms or other severe weather events are approaching wind farm locales.
Developed in response to improved global demand for wind power, WSI WindCast will provide accurate, hourly forecasts, which include weather-related parameters like wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric pressure and temperature, all at turbine height. Using these forecasts, WSI WindCast will provide accurate wind power forecasts, up to seven days out.
Weather Services International’s lightning alert service always monitors the North American Precision Lightning Network, providing immediate notification via SMS text message and/or email, and on-screen, audible and visual alerting. It then issues all-clear messaging after the threat has subsided. Weather Services International is also planning to provide another service alerting users about conditions that might result in the formation of ice on wind turbine blades.
Wind power is rapidly becoming an important alternative energy source for the production of electricity. Energy traders, as well as wind farm operators, understand that the most critical meteorological aspect of wind power forecasting is the highly accurate prediction of wind speed at turbine height, said Ira Scharf, general manager of Weather Services International’s energy and risk division. WSI WindCast not only delivers expert measurement and prediction of wind speed in a graphical, easy to understand format, but also provides precise wind power forecasts as a result of its proven techniques.
