Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI), producer of software applications and development kits for integrated analysis of space, defense and intelligence systems, is teaming with prime contractor Raytheon Network Centric Systems (Marlboro, MA) to create a wind turbine/radar modeling tool to help determine whether the proposed placement of future wind farms will hinder the accuracy of certain radar systems, specifically those tracking airplanes and measuring weather conditions. State College, PA-based Remcom, an AGI business partner and expert in electromagnetic simulation, is also on the team. The system will be utilized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Energy.
The large, rapidly moving (tip velocity up to 170 mph) blades of wind farm turbines return Doppler-shifted radar signals that mimic aircraft or even a stationary tornado. This Doppler interference results in degraded radar performance that could make aircraft or weather events nearly undetectable. The proposed new system includes AGI's commercial software platform, which models radars, aircraft and wind farm objects, along with terrain and environmental effects, in a time-dynamic, 3D environment. This modeling environment utilizes Remcom's commercial software for modeling detailed electromagnetic interactions. Raytheon will lead as prime integrator based on its legacy in the design, development and manufacture of radar systems."We are pleased that Raytheon has selected AGI's precision geometry engine to aid the important mission of allowing our wind farms and radar systems to coexist without hindering national security," says Peter Sardella, AGI vice president of Services.
Together with WindTamer's mobile Renewable Energy Trailer developed for military applications, the commissioning of the first Power on Demand system extends WindTamer's reach into the rapidly developing energy storage and power management sector and also marks the Company's increasing utilization of solar energy in its mix of product offerings.
Power on Demand is a proprietary patent-pending system that is designed to utilize energy inputs from multiple sources together with a custom-designed battery storage bank to reduce grid demand and provide power when customer loads are high, thereby smoothing power demand on the grid and lowering electricity costs to the customer. The energy can be generated from renewable sources such as wind and solar and also from fuel cells and the grid itself, depending on the available energy resources at a given site. Each Power on Demand system is custom designed by WindTamer's engineers with options to blend in renewable energy inputs to best utilize the resources at the customer's location.
The system is designed to include a proprietary 'smart monitoring' technology developed by WindTamer that, among other things, monitors the power usage of the site in real-time and determines when to release energy from the battery system so as to optimize the battery life and maximize the value of the overall system to the customer.
The Power on Demand system designed for and operating at Advanced Glass Industries' manufacturing facility integrates one WindTamer 8.0GT wind turbine, 3Kw of solar energy, 182kWh of usable energy storage and more than 100kW of power distribution capability. The system architecture was developed to reduce peak demand by offsetting peak energy costs. Renewable energy sources provide supplemental power to building loads and battery-based energy storage was implemented to handle peak loads that require additional power.
Mark Matthews, WindTamer's Vice President of Sales and Marketing and one of the designers of the Power on Demand system, said that, "We are extremely pleased to have installed and commissioned our first Power on Demand system, and we are especially excited about the impact this will have on WindTamer's sales prospects going forward. By having this system operating at a customer facility we are now in a position to demonstrate in a real-world setting the superior return on investment Power on Demand can provide for both wind and solar installations."
Mr. Matthews added that, "Our engineering team has also done an excellent job of keeping the Power on Demand system modular, scalable and flexible so that we will be able to offer a solution that accepts renewable energy inputs based on the available renewable resources at a given location and then customize the system for optimal savings."WindTamer's CEO William Schmitz said, "It would be difficult to overestimate the significance of the commissioning of this system for our Company and its shareholders. As I have previously stated, we see Power on Demand as a major driver of our growth in 2011 and beyond. This product expands our potential customer base exponentially because it dramatically reduces the payback period to the customer, which makes Power on Demand an extremely attractive value proposition to a much wider variety of large energy users who deal with peak usage pricing."
Mr. Schmitz added that he expects some of the larger Power on Demand systems in the sales pipeline will be priced in the mid-to-high six figures.
To learn more about how AGI's precision geometry engine can support wind farm/radar analysis, contact Peter Aves at AGI at 610.981.8000 or paves@agi.com. For windtamer visit WindTamerTurbines.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment