This service is offered especially for locating and/or evaluating new wind energy projects at a preliminary phase.
The special feature of these studies is that there are no available wind potential measurements from nearby masts and therefore mesoscale data are used for a first evaluation of the projects.
Mesoscale data can be found:
– either from the renowned Vortex company,
– or from the New European Wind Atlas.
Description of Vortex Mesoscale Data
Weather Research & Forecasting model (WRF) that was developed in NCAR/NCEP (USA) is used as simulation core for Vortex mesoscale data. WRF model has a long-lasting record of applications and is used in pioneering research projects and in many industrial applications. Vortex FdC utilized its modeling expertise in order to optimize and automate the use of the WRF model for wind industry applications. The accumulated experience guarantees a stable and robust model configuration that has been tested and verified by Vortex.
Vortex data use as input (boundary & forcing data) the following climate data (GCM – Global Circulation Models) after the user makes a choice:
– CFSR
– ERA Interim
– ERA5
– MERRA2
Mesoscale models, also called finite area models, such as the WRF, cover a limited part of the planet, so they require lateral (πλευρικές) boundary conditions from a global atmospheric circulation model (GCM). Mesoscale data from Vortex are provided in a 3x3km resolution grid.
Description of NEWA Mesoscale Data
New European Wind Atlas was similarly created using the WRF model (V3.6.) and was based on the use of ERA5 data as input (boundary & forcing data). ERA5 data is the latest climate data analysis produced by the ECMWF (European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts), providing hourly data for many atmospheric parameters, land surface and sea condition along with uncertainty estimates. NEWA mesoscale data are provided in a 3x3km resolution grid.
Table of atmospheric modeling types and their use, where mesoscale models are circled in orange and microscale models in green (such as WindSim), which we use in preliminary studies.
