IBM’s New Wind and Solar Forecasting System
IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced an advanced power and weather modeling technology that will help utilities increase the reliability of renewable energy resources.
The solution combines weather prediction and analytics to accurately forecast the availability of wind power and solar energy.
This will enable utilities to integrate more renewable energy into the power grid, helping to reduce carbon emissions while significantly improving clean energy output for consumers and businesses.
The solution, named “Hybrid Renewable Energy Forecasting” (HyRef) uses weather modeling capabilities, advanced cloud imaging technology and sky-facing cameras to track cloud movements, while sensors on the turbines monitor wind speed, temperature and direction.
When combined with analytics technology, the data-assimilation based solution can produce accurate local weather forecasts within a wind farm as far as one month in advance, or in 15-minute increments.
By utilizing local weather forecasts, HyRef can predict the performance of each individual wind turbine and estimate the amount of generated renewable energy.
This level of insight will enable utilities to better manage the variable nature of wind and solar, and more accurately forecast the amount of power that can be redirected into the power grid or stored.
It will also allow energy organizations to easily integrate other conventional sources such as coal and natural gas.
Photo courtesy: IBM
