Mapping & GIS for Wind Energy Companies
XMap GIS Software is the easy-to-use, topographic data visualization tool providing Wind Farm developers and maintenance companies with comprehensive shared views of critical wind farm infrastructure details including turbine placement, wind resources, access roads, and surrounding habitat.
Powerful Planning Tools
Build site assessment plans against a background of DeLorme topographic map data and aerial imagery. Optimize decision making and community collaboration through advanced yet affordable GIS analysis and GPS navigation tools. Share map views of GIS data layers with key stakeholders of wind farm projects.
A Community Collaboration Platform
Build compelling 3-D topographic map views, against aerial imagery, to encourage clear communication of wind farm plans.
- View critical transmission line data against aerial or satellite imagery. Conduct side-by-side analysis of before and after maps
- Import and geo-reference scanned images and blueprints - transfer the resulting raster map layer to the Earthmate GPS PN-Series devices
- Efficiently direct your field technicians to the wind turbine sites using GPS navigation. Get outside the vehicle navigation using the Earthmate GPS PN-Series devices
- XMap comes with map data of the entire USA to help field engineers GPS navigate over trials, fields and in forested terrain
- Automate data synchronization for field editing processes including query views, redlining, and data check-out/in. Develop work flows that maintain data integrity across your mobile field force
- Full GIS support. Supports ESRI® .shp, MapInfo .mif, .tab, and AutoCAD .dxf, .dwg files. ArcSDE® support included with XMap GIS Enterprise
XMap Workflow Automation using API
Easy-to-use Application Programming Interface (API) lets developers access mapping functions to automate data updates, improve efficiency, or share map views between field associates.
- Automate map searches, route generation, map rendering, or batch data exports
- Automate links to 3rd-party applications
- Search for, locate and update asset status with new pipeline stationing feature
Access Low-Cost Aerial Imagery
View readily available imagery in MrSID or GeoTIFF format - Export image files to the Earthmate GPS PN-Series devices.
- Access your existing corporate imagery sets or access low-cost libraries on the Internet
- Layer various year vintages for change comparison or map data accuracy improvements
- Optimize XMap performance and imagery management by converting your corporate imagery data to XMap format (service quotes available upon request)
- Import and geo-reference scanned images and plans - Transfer the resulting raster map layer to the Earthmate GPS PN-Series devices
Build a Mobile GIS for Wind Energy Management
DeLorme's XMap GIS Enterprise software is helping wind power companies build efficient analysis of potential wind farms across North America. Sharing critical GIS data layers between site engineers, area residents, and construction workers enhances productivity, protects the environment, and helps assure a successful implementation.
Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, accurate maps and imagery, GPS data collection, and navigation tools have become critical for an efficient field-force workflow supporting electric power transmission and distribution processes.
XMap is the easy-to-use data visualization tool providing field technicians and GIS managers with comprehensive, shared views of critical wind farm infrastructure information including turbine placement, wind potential, surrounding habitat assessment, and accessing survey data.
Wind Tower Scenario
ABC Wind Company needs to identify three potential wind farm locations in Southern California to supplement existing electrical power sources. It is important to identify wind energy target areas that combine:
- Significant elevation and optimal prevailing wind reception with minimal obstructions to impact wind speeds
- Parcel ownership with serious interest in selling or long-term leasing target areas
- Minimal environmental impact on surrounding recreational, wetland, or endangered species habitat areas
ABC Wind's recently-hired site analyst chooses XMap GIS Enterprise as the project management tool for her Geographic Information System and topographic wind mapping.
- XMap USA Topographic Data is the land-base for her GIS maps
- Optimal wind speed data with a location component is downloaded from online research sites and imported into XMap's GIS tab, providing a classified view of optimal wind areas
- Line-of-site profiles of target areas are conducted by combining XMap's topographic elevation model and slope profile tool to provide a clear understanding of the major obstacles to prevailing winds
- 360º 3-D views are easily created for virtual depictions of the most likely wind turbine placement areas
- County and town parcel data is imported into XMap as a GIS layer either through shapefile import or through the image registration of paper parcel blue prints
- Local and national land trust easements are researched and compiled for import as additional GIS layers within XMap – usually in shapefile format. Wetlands and environmentally threatened areas are secured in the same way
- Aerial imagery of all but one target area is secured through city and county GIS Web sites. These images, stored online in MrSID file format, are downloaded to the desktop and imported into XMap to serve as high-level background data for wind GIS
- Demographic analysis of county population surrounding targeted sites is conducted. Potential land owners are identified. Phones contact is determined within XMap through Phone data searches
- A compelling wind map of target areas is constructed showing proposed tower placements, current ownership, prevailing wind speeds and their relationship to lower power prices
- Large-format plotted prints are made for wall wind map presentation at town and county offices. PowerPoint slides are developed with XMap JPEGs to present the case for future development of wind farms
- Comparison wind map views depicting alternative development projects are developed juxtaposing a wind farm with a coal plant or factory