STAR System integrates real-time weather and forecasts to help wind turbine professionals respond to severe weather outages

(09/02/2010)

WSI (Weather Services International) is beginning to take orders for Q2 delivery of the new STAR (Storm-Threat-Alert-Respond) System, a tool integrating real-time weather, weather forecasts and alerting for lightning and storms that helps professionals in both wind turbine and utility operations respond to the effects of severe weather outages.

The STAR System is available in two versions. One is designed for wind farm operations and maintenance managers, the other for utility operators. Both versions offer two screen views, continental mode and site mode. Continental mode allows users to view a large interactive map for situational awareness and current "alert status" of all facilities or wind farms monitored. Site mode enables users to view detailed forecast and alert information in regard to a specific facility or wind farm. Users can easily switch between the two views.

Features of the STAR System include:
- Interactive map with pan/zoom capabilities allowing for overlaying of multiple data layers including: satellite, radar, lightning, observed wind speed, observed temperature, tropical forecasts, tropical model plots, tropical watches/warnings NWS Watches/Warnings (US only)
- Proactive alerting for each site or wind farm
- Alert log to view all alerts over past 90 days or search over a specific date rage for key events
- Daily and hourly forecasts for each site or wind farm
- Environment Canada watches/warnings
- Administration tool

Additional features in the WSI STAR Utilities Version include:
- Forecast graphics on wind speed, temperature, radar, satellite, accumulated rainfall and snowfall from WSI's high resolution weather model, RPM
- Observations (in graphical format) for each site from the most recent weather incident through observations over the past three days

"The STAR System will make both wind farm and utility operators better informed and more proficient at their jobs, especially during severe weather alerts," said Ira Scharf, WSI General Manager, Energy and Risk Division. "WSI's STAR System incorporates the latest technology in weather forecasting, lightning detection and storm alerting."

Related categories:  Wind power