Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Community Wind Assessment








Most regular readers will know I run a Community Wind Assessment program, which uses donated equipment and training (thanks to NRG Systems, Coastal Enterprises Inc. and Efficiency Maine for the support and encouragement) and students' time to help find answers to science questions about wind for Maine communities.

The primary service we provide is the loan of anemometer equipment, which we erect and maintain, to measure the wind resource at a given site. We also offer help with wind resource analysis using computer models, and with economic analysis of specific turbine installations.

Generally speaking, I try to include students in this work on a regular basis as a co-curricular activity. Students that sign up during pre-registration for the Wind Assessment seminar next fall will get curricular credit. The seminar will include a lot of site visits and field work.

Currently we are planning anemometry field seasons for sites in southern and midcoast Maine. We are writing a final report for the Mount View High School site, for which we have two years of data. (This was our first site.)

We are also providing preliminary advice and site assessments to two other communities who may proceed to the anemometry stage this year.

If you belong to a Maine community, are an individual or group, a selector or a planning board or local environmental group, you can explore or access this service by contacting me at mwomersley@unity.edu

Allow at least 48 hours for me to get back to you.

2 comments:

Deanna Stoppler said...

What a great program Mick! Recently, I met with folks from VERA, here in Waterbury, to talk about a possible job opportunity. They are doing excellent work with wind. They set up the Green Mtn Power wind program.

Mick said...

Cool. Good luck. Let me know what happens.