Hobart

Seminar Abstract

Friday 23 April 2010, 11.30am (Tas time)
CSIRO Auditorium, Hobart

Alberto Troccoli
Weather & Energy Research Unit (WERU)
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
Pye Laboratory, Black Mountain, ACT

Exploiting long-term wind and solar observations to inform the energy industry

A large network of approximately 500 stations for wind observations is available over Australia. Some records go as far back as the 1920s, with a large proportion starting in the 1950s. However, as found by Muirhead (2000) and Jakob (2010) there are several issues to be considered when analysing these data. Here the objective is to investigate the relationships between the main climate modes in Australia - ENSO and IOD - and the interannual variations in wind energy. Such relationships would provide the potential for improving the planning and operation of wind farms in Australia from the wind-power and economic viewpoints. However, before delving into these relationships, a careful selection of the data had to be carried out. The factors taken into account include location, proximity to obstructions, length of continuous data record, and data quality (removing the sudden steps in the data caused by changes in instrumentation, etc.). Preliminary results in the relationship between ENSO and station wind observations are discussed.

An analogous investigation is also undertaken using the less abundant and shorter array of solar radiation observations. Reanalysis data are also examined in order to provide a more robust analysis.

Seminar recording

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Location:
CSIRO = Marine Laboratories Auditorium, Castray Esplanade, Hobart

For further information, or to schedule a seminar, contact:
To schedule a seminar, contact:
Clothilde Langlais, (Oceanographic seminars) CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research (03) 6232 5399
Natalie Kelly, (Biology/Modelling seminars) CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research 0438 452 483
Jillian Enraght-Moony, (seminar administrator) CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research (03) 6232 5320
Communications Manager, Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC (03) 6226 2265
Margaret Hazelwood, Institute of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Studies (IASOS) University of Tasmania (03) 6226 2971

Last updated 11/05/10