Windguru enables users to view wind, water, wave and other meteorological information on-screen in real-time. Tracking several climatic variables, the product includes most regions of the world, although data is not included for all of them. Information is provided for most of Europe and North America.

Innovation Report discusses the concept of ‘rogue’ waves. The waves which can be as much as three times the height of naturally occurring waves for any place they are found, have long been researched. The report points to deep ocean currents that suddenly give rise to the waves. The investigation was carried out by San Francisco State professor Tim Janssen.

Energy is two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional 4D). Any land manager looking at a map, mine drawing or a global positioning (GPS) instrument will be familiar with 3D. Designers, planners and those involved in calculating volume will know about 3D. Those working in 3D through time – wind, solar, mining, pipelines and so on, will readily appreciate 4D. How do they impact energy?

Every workflow connected to energy can be understood through space and time. They are not only located somewhere on the planet, but our ability to plan, build and operate energy related projects involves space and time. Wind energy is dependent upon location. Determining where to site a wind turbine is not simply a flip of the coin, instead, it involves the calculation of wind speed and duration present upon certain points across the landscape.

Consequently, knowing the landscape in 3D is important – hills, valleys and mountains matter. Sometimes these are not as easily identifiable by eye though, and this is where detailed elevation models of the terrain come in. These models are calculated through airborne measurement technologies  usually, and the data for whole regions can be purchased, leased or rented.

Many pipeline operators will know that terrain also has a role to play in terms of the landscape. It impacts construction costs for building pipelines and operating them. The calculation of volume within geological basins is similarly dependent upon the determination of 3D volumes. When data is viewed within the office through visualisation technologies, it is often available in 3D form, which alows decision makers to move through the data in a simulation environment, determining where and how geology relates to the findings.

Waves are not always consistent. They vary over time and are impacted by climate conditions, water depth and other factors. As a result they are 4D in nature, moving up and down over time – their volumes change over time. Additionally, their occurence also changes spatially. A growing number of building architects and plant design specialists are interested in designing structures that consider the environment. With changing climate and location, the meteorological impacts on a given structure, as it relates to the design, can be considerable.

This directly connects to the ability to design structures that are energy efficienct, or use energy more efficiently and effectively. The development of specialised sensors that are capable of acquiring 2D, 3D and 4D spatial information is constantly under research. With each new sensor comes the ability to understand the processes of wind, solar, geothermal, oil and even nuclear energy management, for example.

We should not lose track of the fact that new technologies bring new possibilities for designing wind turbines, solar panels and their placement. Similarly, the management of facilities infrastructure and the design of those structures is also impacted by understanding the dynamics surrounding the workflows and processes.

Policy and administration are now becoming more significntly connected to energy supply, operation and management. Greater transparency and accountability in terms of energy use and efficient will need to be communicated. That communication area, particularly through collaboration, is going to become more specialised and involve 3D and 4D technologies – so they can understand – and speed up the design, build and operations.

Both non-renewbable and renewable resources will see greater use of these tools and technologies in the future. The economics and communication factors will demand that.

The world’s first wave farm is now operational off the coast of Portugal, and its wave energy converters are generating 2.25MW of electricity. The site is called Agucadoura, and was built by Pelamis Wave Power. The elongated tubes are anchored to the sea floor, as the waves undulate the form, pistons are moved to drive electric generators, and the power is transmitted via underwater cable to the shore.

The advantage of wind power is that it is constant and clean.

The government of Scotland is investing in a project to map the wind and tidal energy potential of Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters in the north of the country. Scotland has an ambitious plan of renewable electricity targets of 31% of gross electricity consumption by 2011 and 50% by 2020.

Scotland’s Marine Energy Spatial Planning Group is promoting initiatives such as sea bed mapping and the production of marine GIS in areas with marine renewable energy resources. The group is also involved in strategic and regional spatial planning policies, the creation of a “one stop shop” approach, and the design of a science strategy to cover technology/environment interfaces.

The Irish Marine Institute has created a Wave Energy map service. The service includes several parameters including modeled wave heights, exclusion zones and bathymetry – all in the form of a map available online.