wind map of Ireland

Capt'n Midnight

http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/renewable-energy-resources/world/europe/wind-europe/wind-ireland.shtml

baldieman

Is there any way to zoom in?

Nukem

Its not free http://navigator.awstruewind.com/ unless I am missing something and I hope I am:p

EDIT:Maybe your just to quick http://www.awstruewind.com/maps/europe.cfm (click Ireland)

probe

The quaintly named "Ordnance Survey" lot have a wind map of Ireland at http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx?id=&utype=&ecom=S1&user= (select "wind report" and "map legend" to see the wind speeds. zoom into any area of the country).

It is a far superior map to the useless object at http://www.sei.ie/Renewables/Wind_Energy/Wind_Maps/ (which is broken as I post this!).

Needless duplication of work in the public sector. The sei wind map was made by ESB consulting. One wonders how much that cost to compile?

Nukem

Ya OSI is probably the best one around, but I think it is well out of date

probe

Nukem wrote: »

Ya OSI is probably the best one around, but I think it is well out of date

How can a wind map be out of date please?

Capt'n Midnight

probe wrote: »

How can a wind map be out of date please?

wow we have proof of the effects of global warming :pac:

AngryHippie

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

wow we have proof of the effects of global warming :pac:

Not really, just climate change, But definitely. Although there are patterns beyond our understanding, See North East Queensland right now for a nice example, Apparently caused by La Nina, but the drought has broken, in many areas by up to a half a metre of rain. Nice:D

lostexpectation

anybody find a better version of this ?
http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/national_energy_grid/ireland/graphics/Ergy-Grid-Ireland2.gif

probe

The impact of climate change is quite minor on temperatures (eg + or - 0.5C over n decades). It is also minor in terms of wind speeds. While the small change in temperature can have significant impact on various matters that have been well documented, I don't think that a small change in wind speed is going to have much impact on choice of location for a windfarm.

If you are looking for a wind map of Ireland, chances are you are looking for a windy place to place a wind mill or farm or you are looking for a sheltered place for some other reason. The main issue is a location's proximity to the sea and the topology of the area. The mountains and hills aren't moving, and proximity to the sea is materially the same since OSI created that wind map, whenever that was.

Nukem

probe wrote: »

How can a wind map be out of date please?

Eh - one of the corenerstones of determining Wind Turbine site placement so it would want to be accurate. And from what I know of OSI the wind maps in the outlining areas could be very old. So if you have a nice big forrest in your way now comapred to last few years then, your wind shear exponent and speed may be different and have a deciding factor in you wind turbine placement.

Now thats irrelvent really as you need reliable data before getting to the wind shear stage but still may be a bum steer on the info. This can only be utilsed as a rough indicator only IMO.

probe

Nukem wrote: »

Eh - one of the corenerstones of determining Wind Turbine site placement so it would want to be accurate. And from what I know of OSI the wind maps in the outlining areas could be very old. So if you have a nice big forrest in your way now comapred to last few years then, your wind shear exponent and speed may be different and have a deciding factor in you wind turbine placement.

Now thats irrelvent really as you need reliable data before getting to the wind shear stage but still may be a bum steer on the info. This can only be utilsed as a rough indicator only IMO.

If you are installing a wind farm it will probably last for 25 years, and then some. Chances are you will use the wind map to determine possible candidate areas and assess the "forest risk" with your own eyes. If you are looking at a wind map to see how your land rates from a wind perspective, you will have an intimate knowledge of the "forest risk" in the area. Road maps need to be up to the minute, especially those used in GPS devices.

I'm not trying to defend OSI. The only date information on the wind map page is the copyright date of 2008, which suggests that the information was first published in 2008. If the wind map data was compiled in 1895, the copyright information should read copyright OSI 1895 to 2009 - assuming various revisions in the map database since that date. Nobody has provided hard information on why the OSI map is out of date. So I have to ask myself if the postings that suggest it is "out of date" have some connection with interests at sei.ie?

What annoys me is the duplication of wind mapping effort by two government agencies - osi and sei. A waste of public money.

quentingargan

The OSI maps don't specify the height at which the wind is measured. SEI/ESB map give you three readings for 50M, 75M and 100M. From these you can use the calculator on www.windpower.org to assess the wind speed at the height you are proposing.

When I queried the height with OSI, their "commerce support" people sent the following reply;

Firstly, the map on screen on the website is only for illustrative purposes, it is not an actual map representation. And secondly, when you purchase an actual wind report you do not have the choice of either 50m, 75m or 100m. For the one price you will receive all three heights in the form of three different PDF’s.

SO.... What is online is a sort of try before you buy, but not to be relied upon? Pity. I'm going back to SEI/ESB.