Weather Services International (WSI), a weather solutions provider, announced the launch of WindCast, a statistical forecasting system for the energy market, providing wind power and wind speed forecasts for wind farms anywhere in the world.
Developed in response to increased worldwide demand for wind power generation forecasting, WSI WindCast provides highly skillful, hourly forecasts (up to seven per day) that include weather-related parameters such as: wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric pressure and temperature, all at turbine height. It then uses these values in combination with additional techniques to deliver wind power forecasts up to seven days out.
"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 WSI's Energy and Risk Division. "WSI WindCast not only delivers expert measurement and prediction of wind speed, but also provides precise wind power forecasts as a result of its proven techniques."
WSI WindCast is based on a proven forecasting model developed by WSI in 2004 to predict wind speed for wind farms across Europe, Asia and North America. In use since 2004 and consistently outperforming industry standard benchmarks, this wind speed model has been continually enhanced and currently forms the foundation of the WSI WindCast product.