The Spanish company Vortex, based in Barcelona, has expanded its wind modeling product range with SERIES, which offers 3km resolution that is unique in its class and a correlation warranty.

The development of a wind farm is a long, difficult process that is full of challenges. At each stage decisions must be made based on the best available information. The products offered by Vortex supply much of this data, packaged in order to be useful and profitable.

In the initial phases of development, a mesoscale map of wind resources—based on a reticle with a distance between nodes of 1 to 3 kilometers—serves to guide prospecting. In later phases of the process, such as the precise placing of the wind turbines, much higher resolutions are necessary; using Vortex’ Microscale products this can be increased to 100 meters.

The wind information is based on data obtained by meteorological stations around the world, and models generated by global meteorological institutes. Using sophisticated simulation techniques, Vortex refines this information and estimates wind behavior in places where measurements have not been taken, incorporating information about the relief of the terrain and its surface roughness. Thus, land that is smooth or rough, sandy, grassy, or a surface with water, all produce changes in the behavior of the wind, which are taken into account by the calculations offered.

The major innovation incorporated by the company is that its calculations are made on demand instead of using pre-calculated results, which is the usual method employed by the competition. The advantages of this method are, first, that the maps are always generated using the most updated simulation models and, second, that the data is calculated using the exact vantage point of the terrain that is of interest to the client, thus reducing to zero the distance from the reticle to the closest node.

Vortex’ confidence in its data is so great that it offers a correlation warranty: users can make their own measurements and then compare this to six months of estimates made by Vortex Series, with no obligation. If the user is not convinced about the correlation, there is no charge.

The company’s staff is made up of professionals from wind engineering, atmospheric physicists and computer experts. Its users include many of the largest companies in the sector, such as Vestas, Alstom Power, Iberdrola and Acciona.