3TIERSM FIRSTLOOK® TERMS OF USE
TERMS OF USE
Access to and use of this site are subject to the terms and conditions of these Terms of Use and all applicable laws and regulations, including laws and regulations governing copyright and trademark. By clicking on the "I Agree" button you agree, without limitation, to be bound by these terms of use (the document contained herein, "Terms of Use") between yourself ("You") and 3TIER Environmental Forecast Group, Inc., a Washington Corporation ("3TIER"). By clicking on the "I Agree" button you further acknowledge that you have read and understand these Terms of Use. 3TIER reserves the right to change these Terms of Use at any time. The changes will appear on this screen. You agree in advance to accept any changes.
1. 3TIER'S ASSESSMENT REPORT
3TIER generates a FirstLook assessment report in PDF format (the "Report"), based upon the search criteria and values you provide. Your access to and use of the Report is expressly conditioned upon payment in accordance with the payment provisions set forth on this site as part of the FirstLook assessment purchase process. The Report is intended for your personal, non-commercial use only. You agree to not modify, reproduce, retransmit, distribute, disseminate, sell, publish, broadcast or circulate the Report to any third party without the express written permission of 3TIER.
2. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
The materials used and displayed (or which may be displayed) on this site, including but not limited to text, software, photographs, graphics, illustrations and artwork, video, music and sound, and names, logos, trademarks and service marks, are the property of 3TIER or licensors and are protected by copyright, trademark and other laws that may apply. Any such content may be displayed solely for your personal, non-commercial use. You agree to not modify, reproduce, retransmit, distribute, disseminate, sell, publish, broadcast or circulate any such material to any third party without the express written permission of 3TIER.
All patent, copyright, trademark, trade secrets and other proprietary rights with respect to any reports (including the Report), designs, specifications, documentation, computer software and other items created, conceived or reduced to practice by or on behalf of 3TIER is the property of 3TIER. You agree to not modify, reproduce, retransmit, distribute, disseminate, sell, publish, broadcast or circulate any reports (including the Report), designs, specifications, documentation, computer software and other items created, conceived or reduced to practice by or on behalf of 3TIER to any third party without the express written permission of 3TIER.
3. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
THIS SITE AND ALL INFORMATION, CONTENT, MATERIALS, PRODUCTS (INCLUDING THE REPORT) AND SERVICES INCLUDED ON OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU THROUGH THIS SITE ARE PROVIDED BY 3TIER ON AN "AS IS" AND "WITHOUT FAULT" BASIS UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED IN WRITING. 3TIER MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE INFORMATION, CONTENT, MATERIALS, PRODUCTS (INCLUDING THE REPORT) AND SERVICES INCLUDED ON OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU THROUGH THIS SITE, UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED IN WRITING. YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT USE OF THIS SITE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.
YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT 3TIER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF 3TIER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES), IN ANY WAY RESULTING FROM THE INFORMATION, CONTENT, MATERIALS, PRODUCTS (INCLUDING THE REPORT) AND SERVICES INCLUDED ON OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU THROUGH THIS SITE.
SOME STATES OR OTHER JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
4. LEGAL DISPUTES
These Terms of Use shall be construed and controlled by the laws of the State of Washington, USA, without regard to conflicts of laws. Any dispute relating in any way to 3TIER shall be submitted to confidential binding arbitration in Seattle, Washington, except that, to the extent you have in any manner violated or threatened to violate 3TIER's copyright, trademark or other intellectual property rights, 3TIER may seek injunctive relief or other appropriate relief in any state or federal court in the State of Washington, and you consent to exclusive jurisdiction in such courts. Arbitration under this agreement shall be conducted under the rules then prevailing of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitrator's award shall be binding and treated as judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no arbitration under these Terms of Use shall be joined to an arbitration involving any other party subject to these Terms of Use, whether through class arbitration proceedings or otherwise. In any action to enforce any right or remedy under these Terms of Use, or to interpret any provision of these Terms of Use, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys' fees, costs and other expenses.
5. ASSIGNMENT
You may not assign any of your rights or delegate any of your duties under these Terms of Use to any third party, except as explicitly authorized herein, without the prior written permission of 3TIER. Notwithstanding any provision contained in these Terms of Use to the contrary, 3TIER may assign in whole or in part its rights or duties under these Terms of Use without your permission in connection with (a) a reorganization or sale of 3TIER; or (b) the sale of a business, division or line of business thereof.
6. WAIVER
Failure or delay by 3TIER to exercise any right or remedy shall not be a waiver and shall not prevent the enforcement of that or any other right.
7. SEVERABILITY
If a court of competent jurisdiction finds any clause or provision of these Terms of Use to be unenforceable, then the Terms of Use shall be deemed amended to exclude the clause or provision and the remainder of these Terms of Use shall continue in full force and effect.
8. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
These Terms of Use constitute the entire agreement between the parties concerning its subject matter and supersedes any prior agreements between the parties concerning the subject matter of these Terms of Use.
close3TIERSM FIRSTLOOK® PRIVACY POLICY
PRIVACY POLICY
We are committed to protecting the privacy and information of our Web site users. To carry out this commitment, we have adopted this privacy policy to help protect your personal information. The purpose of this privacy policy is to inform you of what information this Web site collects, how such information is used, and other related matters.
COLLECTION OF INFORMATION
Our Web server automatically recognizes the Internet address (and specific domain) from which you are accessing our Web site. When you visit our site, we collect general information that does not identify you specifically but informs us of the pages visited, the areas of the Web site where you have spent the most time, and other Web sites you linked to while visiting our Web site. The above list is meant to be illustrative and not exclusive. This general information is only used in the aggregate so we can improve our services to you and other Web site users.
HOW THE INFORMATION IS USED
We will protect the confidentiality of any personal information you share with us. We will not sell or share your personal identifiable information with any third party except as required by law.
We use the information collected in various ways, including but not limited to responding to any queries regarding our services, emailing you with updates to our services, and providing more efficient services as further described. If you wish not to receive email from us detailing our services or updates, please notify us. We take all the collected general information, compile and analyze all the data, and modify our Web site so it better serves our users' needs. As an example, if we find that the majority of our users tend to go to a certain portion of our Web site, we will move such portion of the Web site closer to the home page or create a link directly to that portion of the Web site. This type of modification to the Web site will make your visit more efficient.
TRACKING
We use cookies to help improve our services to you. A cookie is a small amount of data that is sent to your browser and stored on your computer's hard drive. Among other things, the cookie will help keep track of information you gave us so you will not have to reenter it each time you enter our Web site.
SUBMITTED INFORMATION
If a user of our Web site sends us any message or communication, such message or communication will become our property and will not be returned. Any reproduction, modification, adaptation, publishing, translation, distribution, and display of such messages or communications, including the sender's name will be done only after receiving the sender's permission.
THIRD PARTY LINKS
Our Web site contains links to third party Web sites. We do not endorse any information posted on such third party Web sites nor the reliability or authenticity of any such posted information. We in no way are compensated for directing web traffic to these sites and derive no commercial interest from it. Such third party Web sites may be governed by their own rules and regulations and we advise that you read and adhere to such rules and regulations when visiting such third party Web sites. We will have no liability whatsoever for any of your actions on such third party Web sites nor will we be liable for any information or data downloaded by you or any transaction entered into by you while visiting such third party Web sites.
GOVERNING LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
This privacy policy shall be governed by the laws of the State of Washington without regard to conflicts of law provisions. In the event of any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this policy, or the breach thereof, the parties hereto shall consult and negotiate with each other and, recognizing their mutual interests, attempt to reach a solution satisfactory to both parties. If the parties do not reach agreement within a period of 60 days, then either party may, by notice to the other party, demand mediation under the Mediation Rules of the American Arbitration Association*, before one mediator, in Seattle, Washington. If agreement is not reached within 60 days after service of a written demand for mediation, any unresolved controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this policy shall be settled by arbitration, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in force, and that the arbitration hearings shall be held in Seattle, Washington. If the parties cannot agree upon an arbitrator within ten (10) days after demand by either of them, either or both parties may request the American Arbitration Association to name a panel of five (5) arbitrators. 3TIER shall strike the names of two (2) on this list, you shall then strike two (2) names, and the remaining name shall be the arbitrator. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding upon the parties both as to law and to fact, and shall not be appealable to any court in any jurisdiction. The parties shall share the expenses of the arbitrator equally, unless the arbitrator determines that the expenses shall be otherwise assessed.
*For international parties, 3TIER and you will use the International Arbitration and Mediation Rules and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution at the appropriate location.
MODIFICATIONS
We encourage you to review this policy from time to time, as it may be amended or updated by us at any time. If you have any questions about this policy or any amendments or updates, contact us at: 3TIER, Inc. 2001 6th Avenue, Ste. 2100 Seattle, WA 98121 Tel.: (206) 325-1573 Fax: (206) 325-1618 Email: firstlook@3tiergroup.com
closeFAQ Wind: General Wind Resource Assessment Map FirstLook Report Download Sample PDF Technical Specifications Bolivia Sponsorships Next Steps
Who is behind FirstLook?
FirstLook is brought to you by 3TIER, a leading provider of assessment and forecast information for developing and operating renewable energy projects. For more information about 3TIER, go online to www.3tier.com.
What are the benefits of FirstLook?
There are lots of reasons why FirstLook is perfect for you. It is:
Global: FirstLook offers estimates of the wind resource globally, allowing you to compare the wind resource from Timbuktu to Bengaluru, Gdansk to Cochabamba, and Brisbane to Houston.
Fast: FirstLook provides a thorough wind resource and power assessment, including detailed site statistics — all within minutes.
Powerful: FirstLook utilizes advanced scientific modeling techniques and the latest wind models to tell you what time of year and day you can expect the highest wind speeds at your site.
Easy: FirstLook features an easy-to-use web interface and an order process that is accessible anywhere and anytime.
Independent: FirstLook offers a wind resource assessment based on 3TIER's model simulations. In addition, FirstLook provides you with a confidence rating for each of its reports based on observations. 3TIER validates its FirstLook wind maps for individual countries based on publicly available wind observations. For example in the U.S. 3TIER has used observations from nearly 2,000 airport and tower sites to determine the error in the wind speed estimates.
Relevant: FirstLook gives you the best available baseline supported by the latest scientific assessment methods so you can make the right decision — whether you have one site or several hundred.
Innovative: FirstLook advances the wind assessment process with a revolutionary, easy-to-use tool based on superior wind map data. The report format is standardized for all sites, helping improve the productivity of your due-diligence process.
Why FirstLook?
For wind energy projects, the fuel is free, but the fuel availability and intensity varies with time and location. Therefore it is important to accurately assess the resource availability in the earliest stages of planning a project.
FirstLook gives you access to 3TIER’s global wind resource map. It presents the most accurate, consistent and comprehensive dataset of wind resources and their spatial and temporal variability ever created in a single interface, and is an excellent tool for wind prospecting.
With FirstLook, you can identify potential locations with the click of a mouse. If a FirstLook report is available for that region, you can also purchase a comprehensive wind assessment delivered straight to your computer. For areas where FirstLook reports are not yet available, please contact 3TIER to purchase a FullView Site Analysis for promising locations. It couldn’t be easier, or more cost-effective.
So save the road trips for vacation and give FirstLook a test drive.
Is FirstLook free?
Information from the map-based viewer, such as average annual wind speed range, is available for free to all registered users. Detailed assessment reports for your location are available for purchase, either via FirstLook directly (for available regions) or with a FullView Site Analysis.
Register for free here.
What is the source of the information?
FirstLook is based on the latest scientific techniques, numerical weather prediction (NWP) models and publicly available observations from meteorological towers worldwide. The computer simulations and the FirstLook wind resource dataset were developed by 3TIER. For more information about 3TIER, go online to www.3tier.com.
Some locations display a wind-speed range, but FirstLook reports are not yet available. 3TIER is continuing to validate the dataset in these areas, and as soon as it meets our standard of accuracy, we will release FirstLook reports for these areas. If you are a registered FirstLook user and have given us permission to contact you, you will be notified via e-mail as they are released.
3TIER has validated the global annual wind speed range displayed on FirstLook using data from the NCEP-ADP network. Additional details are described in the Technical Specifications section of this FAQ. For land areas that are marked "3TIER does not currently offer assessments or mapping sponsorships for this area", the map is based on a numerical weather prediction simulation with a spatial resolution of 15 km for a single year (2005). For the rest of the globe, which show a range, these data are derived from 3TIER’s global dataset.
The wind speed map over ocean areas are based on satellite measurements:
The Scatterometer Climatology of Ocean Winds (SCOW) was developed at Oregon State University (OSU) with support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through an award to the OSU Cooperative Institute of Oceanographic Satellite Studies (CIOSS). The climatology is based on 8 years of measurements of surface winds by the NASA QuikSCAT scatterometer developed and operated by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
How would I use FirstLook?
Some examples of how you can put FirstLook to work for you:
Find the right spot
With one click, FirstLook gives you a free annual average wind speed range — showing you how good the wind really is — so you can place your meteorological towers precisely where they need to be. And when you need to know which way to turn the boom, FirstLook can provide a solution within minutes. From hourly power distributions to a twelve-month wind rose analyses, FirstLook gives you the knowledge you need to get more value from your project.
The developer's dilemma
When you are looking at multiple locations, how do you know that you are comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges? FirstLook provides a consistent seamless wind map and a standard set of reports, so you have a clear picture of the risks for every potential site in your portfolio.
Getting the green light
Whether you are applying for a grant or looking for initial financing from a private fund — use FirstLook to provide a quick and cost-efficient third-party validation of your project. FirstLook gives you and your financier a complete understanding of the immediate opportunity and the long-term value.
How accurate is FirstLook?
For 3TIER's global wind map, our wind speeds were compared with publicly available wind speed observations from more than 4000 globally distributed meteorological stations from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Automated Data Processing (ADP) surface observations dataset.
The data show that the difference is less than 0.5 m/s at 50% of the stations, and the difference is less than 1 m/s at 78% of the stations. The overall bias is +0.05 m/s relative to NCEP ADP observations, and the root mean square error (RMSE) is 0.93 m/s.
For additional information, click here to read about 3TIER's validation procedures or download 3TIER's global validation white paper.
What affects wind at a given site?
Wind speed is determined by atmospheric conditions and terrain characteristics. Even in areas that are generally windy, local conditions may determine whether your wind resource is adequate or not. Wind speeds increase with increasing height above the surface. In general, wind speeds are higher in wide open spaces, along ridgelines and near coastlines, where few obstructions interfere with air movement. Vegetation and land use affect the wind so that rough surfaces like forests reduce the near-surface wind speed.
What is a hub height?
The hub height is the height at which your wind turbine is installed. Commercial scale turbines (>1MW) are typically installed at 80m (262 ft) or higher, while small-scale wind turbines (~10kW) are installed on shorter towers. Wind speed increases with the height above the ground, so to get an accurate assessment you want to choose a hub height that is close to your expected turbine height.
What is a wind resource assessment?
A wind resource assessment provides the information necessary to determine whether wind is a viable source of renewable energy at your location. A detailed assessment will show you where it is windy and during what time of the day and year winds tend to be strongest.
FirstLook Assessment reports are suitable for the prospecting stage of wind development, while 3TIER’s FullView Assessments provide a more comprehensive analysis of the wind resource at your site, and are recommended prior to making any significant investment in a particular location. Contact 3TIER to learn more about which solution is right for you.
What makes a good wind resource?
The amount of electricity that can be generated by a wind turbine is affected by wind speed, air density, diameter of the rotor, and efficiencies of the turbine and electrical system. A good wind resource requires strong winds during times when the electricity demand or the electricity price is largest. Your FirstLook report shows not only the average annual wind speed, but also when you can expect the highest wind speeds.
Can I buy a GIS layer of wind speed?
Yes. 3TIER offers GIS layers of the annual mean wind speed for anywhere on the globe using our 2 arc-minute FirstLook dataset.
Please click here to learn more about GIS layers from 3TIER.
What area does FirstLook cover?
As part of its REmapping the World™ initiative, 3TIER has expanded FirstLook to cover most of the global land surface area.
In addition, FirstLook users can purchase FirstLook Professional or FirstLook Standard wind prospecting reports for North America (continental US, Alaska, Canada and Mexico), Australia, New Zealand, China, South Asia, and Europe. Click here for a complete listing of available Europe and South Asia countries. For more information regarding our regional validation procedures, click here.
For other areas, 3TIER offers FullView Assessments.
What wind speed is shown on the map?
For areas that 3TIER has released data, the FirstLook tool shows the annual average wind speed range for the hub height that is selected. Because the numbers shown are an annual average, they combine windy and non-windy periods. As a rough estimate, an average annual wind speed of 4.5 m/s (10 mph) is usually considered the cut-off for a grid-connected residential system to be economically viable.
The wind speed shown on the FirstLook map is the annual average wind speed. The color overlay allows you to compare different regions on the map using the color scale located in the upper right corner of the map. "Warm" colors like brown and orange indicate higher wind speeds. "Cool" colors like light and dark blue indicate lower wind speeds.
The color overlay shows our best estimate of the annual average wind speed. We are 68% confident the annual average wind speed falls within the range shown in the popup window.
Why do we show a range?
Previously, the popup window in FirstLook showed only the average annual wind speed. A confidence measure was shown separately along the bottom of the FirstLook window. The current version of FirstLook directly incorporates these confidence measures into the popup window. The new popup window shows a range of expected wind speed values, providing a more realistic assessment. We are 68% confident that the true wind speed for a given location falls inside the range shown. The narrower the range of wind speeds, the more confident we are concerning the long-term mean wind speed value.
For example, we can compare Sweetwater, TX to the mountains outside Boulder, CO. Sweetwater’s wind range as displayed in FirstLook is 6.8—9.0 m/s. Outside of Boulder in the Colorado Front Range (an area of very rugged topography) the wind range shown is 6.5—9.4 m/s. While the annual average for both wind speeds is comparable (7.9 m/s, as shown by the colorbar), Sweetwater has a narrower range.
For either of these areas, just the annual average isn’t the whole story. Annual and diurnal variability, prevailing wind direction and lots of other data is required to more accurately assess the wind resource at any given location. FirstLook reports provide some of this information, and 3TIER’s FullView solutions incorporate your on-site data for an even better estimate.
Why does the colored wind map disappear?
The FirstLook wind map overlay is disabled at the highest zoom level to make it easier to read the underlying map imagery. Wind speed estimates are still updated as you click on new locations, so please continue to look around.
For areas in which FirstLook wind speed estimates are not yet available, the wind map is also disabled for higher zoom levels.
What is the wind direction at my site?
Your FirstLook report includes annual and monthly† wind rose diagrams. These diagrams show the wind direction distribution based on hourly wind speed values. Reports are only available for interactive parts of the map.
† Professional report only.
How do I use the web tool?
Choose either the Wind or Solar tab.
Choose from three standard hub heights.
Enter your location using a variety of methods: latitude and longitude, street address, or zip code.
Buy a wind assessment report for your location, with or without the raw data.
Navigate using the familiar Google Maps interface.
Use "Map" mode to see roads and locations. Use "Satellite" mode to see satellite images. Use "Hybrid" mode to see both. Use "Terrain" mode to see the terrain.
Receive a free, average annual wind speed where 3TIER currently provides data.
How do I enter location in Decimal Degrees?
While there are several formats for writing latitude and longitude, FirstLook utilizes decimal degrees which is the most convenient format for calculation and computation purposes. As with other formats, the convention is that latitude is written first, and longitude is second. For example, the latitude and longitude of in decimal degrees Seattle, WA is 47.621, -122.347.
A value in decimal degrees to 4 decimal places is accurate to 11.1 meters (+/- 5.55 m) at the equator. A value to 5 decimal places is accurate to 1.11 meter at the equator. As with any data entry, it is important that you double check on the map to make sure that the coordinates you enter make sense, and you did not mistakenly enter a number or switch a digit by mistake.
Conversion to Decimal Degrees
If you only know your location in degrees:minutes:seconds, use this simple formula to convert your location into decimal degrees:
Decimal Degrees = Degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600
For example, a degrees:minutes:seconds value of "38° 53' 23" N, 77° 00' 32" W" converts to the decimal degree value of "38. 88972°, -77. 00889°" like thus:
| lat = 38° 53' 23" N* lat = 38 + (53/60) + (23/3600) lat = 38 + 0.88333 + 0.00639 lat = 38.88972° |
long = 77° 00' 32" W* long = 77 + (00/60) + (32/3600) long = 77 + 0.00000 + 0.00889 long = -77.00889° |
*NOTE: Positive latitudes are north of the equator; negative latitudes are south of the equator. Positive longitudes are east of the Prime Meridian; negative longitudes are west of the Prime Meridian.
What do the colors on the map mean?
The wind speed shown on the FirstLook map is the annual average wind speed. The color overlay allows you to compare different regions on the map using the color scale located in the upper right corner of the map. "Warm" colors like brown and orange indicate higher wind speeds. "Cool" colors like light and dark blue indicate lower wind speeds.
In some high latitude areas in the Northern Hemisphere, and near coastal regions, you may notice some sharp color changes. If you zoom in on these locations using the FirstLook tool, you will notice these sharp color changes eventually disappear. For visualization purposes, we show a different dataset over water and at high latitudes, where we do not actually provide FirstLook products.
Which report is right for me?
FirstLook reports are available for all map locations that interactively provide wind speed estimates.
Two different FirstLook reports are available to provide an assessment of your local wind resource:• The Standard report includes the most important information needed to assess your local wind resource. • The Professional report includes all the analysis and figures contained in the Standard version of the report. In addition, the Professional report contains figures and tables that show for each month of the year how the wind speed and power production vary during the day. The Professional report also includes a wind and power rose for each month of the year. Finally, the Professional report is accompanied by a data file that includes all the hourly meteorological values necessary to perform the types of analysis contained in the report. This data file allows the user to repeat the analysis using his or her own power curve or to perform additional analysis.
The Professional report is aimed at the industrial user, for whom direct access to the underlying meteorological data is important, and should be used where information about individual months is important. The Standard report is aimed at users who are not planning to perform their own analysis and where annual information is sufficient.
Pricing and Feature Matrix
REPORT TYPE Standard Professional Map X X Windspeed and Power Capacity by Month X X Hourly Windspeed and Power Distribution X X Annual Average Wind and Power Directions X X Monthly Average Wind and Power Directions X Annual Average Diurnal Wind and Power Variation X X Monthly Average Diurnal Wind and Power Variation X Monthly Mean Wind and Power Table X X Hourly Mean Wind and Power Table by Month X Data File X Price (USD) $1000 $2500
For which regions can I buy a report?
FirstLook users can purchase FirstLook Professional or FirstLook Standard wind prospecting reports for North America (continental US, Alaska, Canada and Mexico), Australia, New Zealand, China, South Asia, and most of Europe. Click here for a complete listing of available Europe and South Asia countries. For more information regarding our regional validation procedures, click here.
For other areas, 3TIER offers FullView Assessments.
Why are there no reports at my location?
3TIER is dedicated to providing the best estimates for renewable energy resources worldwide. As the first of it’s kind, 3TIER has completed validation of the annual average wind range for the globe using data from the global network of NCEP-ADP stations.
Further quality control for diurnal and monthly cycles has been completed for North America, Australia, New Zealand, China, South Asia, and Europe. As such, FirstLook reports are available for these locations.
As part of our commitment to quality data, we are taking these additional quality control checks before releasing FirstLook reports for other locations.
In addition to FirstLook, 3TIER offers FullView Site Analysis reports. FullView reports are available for anywhere in the world, and they offer the highest level of validation based on correlation with your on-site measurements.
Which specific countries are available?
FirstLook reports are available for the following countries/regions:
• Australia, New Zealand
• China
• Europe: all European countries (including Turkey) below 70°N, extending west to Greenland and east to the border of Russia
• North America: continental US, Alaska, Canada, and Mexico
• South Asia: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
As part of our REmapping the World initiative, 3TIER hopes to make FirstLook Reports available for the entire world by the end of 2009.
Data File
Professional report only
The Professional report is accompanied by a data file, which provides the hourly wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, and pressure values that are used in the generation of your FirstLook report. The reported values are based on a ten-year numerical weather prediction (NWP) model simulation, corrected with observations.
Note that the values are not presented as a time series and can therefore not be compared with observations at specific times. Instead, the values are presented in a way that allows you to calculate quantities such as power in a statistical sense. For example, the values in the file can be used to calculate quantities similar to those presented in the report.
Power Assessment
FirstLook shows you the average monthly power capacity for each month of the year. FirstLook shows you the distribution of hourly power capacity values throughout the year. FirstLook shows you a power rose for all hourly power capacity values during the year. FirstLook shows you the average hourly power capacity for each hour of the day. 
FirstLook shows you power roses for each month of the year. 
FirstLook shows you the average hourly power capacity values for each month of the year. 
Professional report only
Executive Summary
FirstLook gives you the wind speed at your location at the selected hub height. FirstLook gives you a confidence rating on the accuracy of the assessment. FirstLook shows you month by month the wind speeds and power capacity at your site.
Wind Resource Assessment
FirstLook shows you the average annual wind speed for the area around your site (50 km by 50 km or 31 miles by 31 miles). FirstLook shows you the average monthly wind speed and standard of error for each month of the year. FirstLook gives you the distribution of hourly wind speeds throughout the year. FirstLook gives you a wind rose for all hourly wind speeds during the year. FirstLook shows you the average hourly wind speed and standard of error for each hour of the day. FirstLook shows you wind roses for each month of the year. 
FirstLook shows you daily wind speed patterns for each month of the year. Professional report only
Wind and Power Tables
FirstLook shows the average monthly wind speed. 
FirstLook shows you average hourly wind speed by month. FirstLook shows the average monthly wind power capacity. 
FirstLook shows you average hourly power capacity by month. Professional report only
Download Sample PDF
Click here to download a sample FirstLook Professional Wind Report. Click here to download a sample FirstLook Standard Wind Report. 
You will need Acrobat Reader 7.0 or above to view your sample FirstLook Wind Assessment. To download Adobe's PDF Reader click here.
How was the data behind your map created?
The FirstLook Global wind dataset is the first high-resolution, methodologically consistent wind resource assessment of global extent, covering all continental and near-shore areas between 60°S and 70°N.
Computer simulations using numerical weather prediction (NWP) models form the basis for the dataset. These models use numerical methods to obtain approximate solutions for the mathematical equations that describe the physics and dynamics of the atmosphere. To solve these equations for different locations on the globe, the atmosphere is divided into many small elements, both horizontally and vertically. The model computes what happens within each model element and how much mass, energy, and momentum is exchanged between the model elements.
To resolve the effects of small-scale terrain features on near-surface wind speed and direction, model elements must be kept small. Unfortunately, smaller model elements require more computer time, and the problem quickly becomes too large even for today’s supercomputers. To strike a balance between the need to resolve small-scale terrain features and the need to reduce the computational demand, the dataset combines a number of different NWP model simulations.
Click here for more information regarding our validation procedures.
What data has been created?
The FirstLook Global wind dataset is the first high-resolution, methodologically consistent wind resource assessment of global extent, covering all continental and near-shore areas between 60°S and 70°N.
For areas that show a popup with a wind speed range, the spatial resolution is 2-arcminutes (approximately 5 km). The annual averages were created using 10 year model run.
Click here for more information regarding our validation procedures.
Does 3TIER incorporate observation data?
Yes - indirectly. 3TIER constrains its mesoscale (WRF) atmospheric simulations using inputs taken from a consisten, high-quality NWP dataset (the NCAR/NCEP reanalysis) that incorporates observational data using data assimilation techniques. 3TIER uses this dataset to drive a combination of a 10-year, coarser resolution (15 km) set of WRF simulations with a 365-day, finer resolution (5 km) set of WRF simulations.
This methodology provided the basis for the 3TIER's global dataset. To further ensure that the modeled wind speeds accurately reflect real-world wind speeds, a final correction was performed using one of two relatively high-resolution analysis datasets. Over the continental U.S. and neighboring parts of Canada and Mexico, the correction was based on the analysis from the NCEP Rapid Update Cycle model at 40 km resolution. Over the remainder of the globe, the correction was based on the analysis from the NCEP Global Forecast System model at 1° resolution.
These gridded analysis products were used to adjust the WRF simulations and produce the final wind speed estimates for 3TIER's global dataset. The final dataset includes hourly wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, and air pressure for hub heights of 20 meters, 50 meters, and 80 meters on a 2-arcminute (approximately 5 km) grid over global continental and near-shore areas between 60°S and 70°N.
Click here for more information regarding our validation procedures.
3TIER Data Validation Procedures
To assess the quality of the wind speed estimates provided by the FirstLook dataset, wind speeds were compared with publicly available wind speed observations from the independent data source National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Automated Data Processing (ADP) surface observations dataset. The stations were chosen from the subset of NCEP ADP stations with 4-letter ICAO location indicators, which had more reliable data than other stations in the NCEP ADP dataset. Time series from these stations were visually inspected, and stations with obvious data problems were excluded from the validation. The NCEP ADP wind speeds were compared with FirstLook wind speeds at a height of 10 m; however, it is likely that some NCEP ADP station anemometers are at heights lower than 10 m, although few are expected to be higher than 10 m. This validation method was used consistently across every region and the observations have not been used to adjust the FirstLook data in any way.
The data show that the difference is less than 0.5 m/s at 50% of the stations, and the difference is less than 1 m/s at 78% of the stations. The overall bias is +0.05 m/s relative to NCEP ADP observations, and the root mean square error (RMSE) is 0.93 m/s.
For additional information, please see 3TIER's validation white papers:
Global Validation White Paper
• Global
Regional Validation White Papers
• Australia / New Zealand
• China
• Europe
• North America
• South Asia
Why does Bolivia get its own wind atlas?
3TIER was retained by the International Finance Corporation (a member of the World Bank Group) through a competitive bidding process to prepare a wind atlas for Bolivia. As part of the delivery mechanism for this dataset, 3TIER agreed to add the data and map to FirstLook tool, and expand the set of information that we display as part of our “popup” functionality. As well as the data available at this website, the final report on 3TIER’s analysis of the wind resource in Bolivia is available at www.tde.com.bo. Additionally, IFC secured discounts on FirstLook reports purchased inside of Bolivia. Please contact viento@tde.com.bo for more details.
What other countries have their own wind atlas?
Bolivia is the first country to have 3TIER develop a wind atlas that is delivered via the FirstLook interface.
What would it cost to get a wind atlas of my country?
For information on sponsoring other countries or regions, please see the sponsorship section of this FAQ. Sponsorships are available for regions anywhere on Earth.
Who sponsored the Bolivian Wind Atlas?
This project was sponsored as part of an ongoing partnership between the International Finance Corporation (a member of the World Bank Group) and Transportadora de Electricidad S.A. (TDE), a subsidiary of the Spanish grid operator Red Electrica de España and Bolivia’s largest electricity transmission company. TDE is a recipient of IFC financing. Under its corporate social responsibility program, TDE is exploring the development of renewable energy resources to supply off-grid electricity and other energy services to isolated rural communities in the footprint of its high voltage transmission lines throughout Bolivia.
IFC is committed to developing strategies that help improve and accelerate electricity access for rural communities. As part of its core development focus and climate change strategy, IFC seeks to help clients expand access to energy services in the developing world by using renewable energy wherever feasible. In support of TDE, IFC is expanding its role in renewable energy technologies as a part of innovative off-grid solutions in Bolivia. At present, there are no commercial wind projects in Bolivia. IFC’s contract with 3TIER to produce a national wind map is expected to help stimulate future development of wind power projects.
To lean more about the IFC go to www.ifc.org.
To lean more about TDE go to www.tde.com.bo.
Why did 3TIER get involved?
3TIER’s REmapping the World initiative will provide the critical information that has been missing to make renewable energy a viable choice: information regarding the availability and value of renewable resources. For the first time, communities in developing countries that lack access to power will have the information to decide how renewable energy can power their communities. The Bolivian wind atlas was a nice complement to 3TIER’s mission to map the world’s wind resources, and is expected to help stimulate future development of wind power projects.
Where can I find the Atlas?
The Bolivia Wind Atlas project was financed by the International Finance Corporation and supported by Transportadora de Electricidad S.A..
The Wind Atlas of Bolivia is available for download in pdf-format from FirstLook:
Is the FirstLook data different for Bolivia?
Yes, as part of our contract with IFC, we show an expanded set of information for the country of Bolivia. Although the data and modeling technique are similar to the rest of FirstLook, we show additional information via an “expanded popup”.
This expanded popup shows a combination of annual average values as well as monthly values for a number of quantities that we have calculated based upon our wind dataset. We show the annual average windspeed, power density, and power capacity. We also show a table of monthly wind speed, air temperature, air density and power density.
Within Bolivia, we interpolate the derived data shown in the popup between the nearest grid points. An alternative approach is to interpolate the entire time series of wind values and then use the resulting time series to estimate the derived data such as power density and power capacity. The first method is fast; the second method might be slightly more accurate. The first method is used for the derived values reported on the web site to provide rapid results while browsing. The second method is used for the FirstLook reports. Differences between the two methods are typically small (one percent or less), and the largest differences occur in areas with sharp wind speed gradients.
Is the expanded popup available outside Bolivia?
3TIER does not currently offer the “expanded popup” functionality outside of Bolivia. If you are interested in similar information for a given location, please consider purchasing either a FirstLook Standard or FirstLook Professional report, or contact us for more information.
Is data from the expanded popup available?
No. The data in the “expanded popup” cannot currently be saved in a data file.
How do I get a coupon for reports in Bolivia?
Qualified recipients can get a coupon from Transportadora de Electricidad S.A. (TDE). Please visit http://www.tde.com.bo to request a coupon.
Map Key
As part of our partnership with IFC we show additional data on top of our map overlay. The map key shown at right shows what these different symbols mean. Data for these overlays were provided by IFC, and can be used to help plan the feasibility of wind energy projects in various areas of the country. Locations near both major roads and transmission lines, for example, are better suited for locating a wind farm when compared with very remote areas.
Sponsorships
As part of its REmapping the World™ initiative, 3TIER will map the entire world according to the release schedule indicated on the clickable world map. To accelerate the development of the global dataset and to provide higher resolution data, 3TIER offers sponsorships on a country-by-country basis.
For questions about sponsorship of wind and solar resource maps for specific countries or regions, please call us at 1-206-325-1573 or email us at sponsorships@3tier.com.
Next Steps
FullView
After your FirstLook report confirms the wind resource at your site, look to 3TIER's FullView for additional in-depth assessment services to move your project forward. Objective and independent, every FullView analysis incorporates all existing site data and is customized for you and your project site, no matter how technically challenging. 3TIER's FullView provides advanced wind assessment products, including:
• Financial due-diligence reports
• Wind energy temporal variability analysis
• High-resolution mapping
PowerSight
3TIER's PowerSight provides custom and accurate forecasting services for operational wind projects. InSight uses the latest in science and supercomputing to provide accurate, coherent, and relevant forecasts, so projects can be operated efficiently and reliably, maximizing your return on investment. 3TIER's PowerSight provides advanced wind forecast products, including:
• Hour-, day-, week-, and month-ahead forecasts
• Web delivery
• Custom data feeds
• 24/7 premium level support
For more information, go online to www.3tier.com