Vaisala recently introduced its Compass digital platform to aid in renewable development. Why did Vaisala see the need for this new product?
Wind and solar energy strongly depend on the weather, which varies across days, seasons, and years, making predictions challenging both in the short and long term. At each stage of a renewable energy farm life cycle — from resource assessment to operations — weather fluctuation and uncertainty challenges industry players, whether collecting bankable data in increasingly complex site conditions, accurately evaluating weather data for yield resource assessment, securing project financing, or optimizing farm operations.
Recognizing the industry’s need for reliable and accurate field weather data augmented with analytics and models, we created Compass to equip renewable players to develop and operate renewable-energy projects in any terrain and weather conditions while securing their financing and revenue stream.
With Compass, decision-makers can better evaluate sites, build the farm, enhance resource assessment accuracy, and improve operational efficiency.
How does Compass software help optimize site development and operations?
The cloud-based weather platform organizes, interconnects, and simplifies access to the largest portfolio of weather solutions combining instruments and intelligence.
Vaisala Compass helps renewable energy customers:
- Efficiently and easily manage their fleet of weather instruments on one software platform.
- Explore resources and measurement campaigns to ensure weather data bankability.
- Uncover insights into long-term trends to select the best locations for optimal energy production.
- Identify potential weather risks that could impact site reliability and safety.
- Improve collaboration and planning by securely sharing weather data with key stakeholders.
- Track weather conditions and adjust to maximize the weather data value across the entire farm life cycle.
What makes Compass software more unique when compared to other software platforms available?
Compass stands out for its seamless integration with Vaisala’s industry-leading Lidars and comprehensive approach to wind and solar resource management. Unlike generic software solutions, Compass combines Vaisala’s deep industry expertise with cutting-edge technology purpose-built for the wind and solar energy sector.
One of the platform’s key differentiators is its ability to centralize the entire workflow — prospection, wind and solar resource assessment monitoring, remote instrument configuration, and weather data analysis — into a single intuitive platform. Compass ensures real-time data access, advanced analytics, and actionable insights, eliminating the need for multiple disconnected tools.
Compass also prioritizes the user experience with an intuitive interface and automation features that significantly reduce the learning curve and save valuable time for developers and operators. By combining robust software with the unparalleled performance of Vaisala Lidars, Compass not only tackles today’s challenges but can scale to meet future industry needs.
Why is it important to be able to collect bankable data for renewable sites?
Bankable data underpins every stage of development, from securing financing to optimizing operations. Accurate, reliable, and verifiable measurements of weather conditions, resource availability, and site-specific factors equip lenders, investors, and stakeholders with the information necessary to trust a project’s feasibility and profitability evaluation.
For developers, high-quality data reduces uncertainty in energy yield estimates, enabling better site selection and turbine placement decisions. This not only improves project efficiency but also strengthens the case for attracting investment. Reliable data also plays a key role in compliance with regulatory requirements and ensuring long-term operational performance.
Tools like Vaisala Compass and WindCube Lidars empower developers to collect and analyze bankable data with precision. By minimizing errors and maximizing confidence in the results, we help our clients secure financing, reduce project risk, and more effectively deliver on their renewable energy goals.
What would entice an OEM to want to switch to Compass, and if they did, what kind of transition (if any) would be needed?
OEMs would be enticed to switch to Compass for its ease of integration and use and potential to significantly enhance project value now and over the long term.
Compass works seamlessly with WindCube Lidar instruments and AWS810 Solar Edition weather stations, providing a unified platform for monitoring, configuring, and analyzing wind and solar data.
The digital platform also eliminates disparate tool inefficiencies and offers OEMs a streamlined, reliable solution for their measurement and analysis needs.
The platform’s advanced analytics capabilities and its roadmap for new tools also make it a future-proof investment. For OEMs focused on improving wind resource assessment accuracy and operational monitoring capabilities, Compass represents a significant step forward.
As for the transition, Compass minimizes disruption with an intuitive, user-friendly interface. If an OEM already uses Vaisala Lidars, Compass integration is straightforward, requiring minimal training. For those transitioning from other systems, Vaisala offers comprehensive support to ensure a smooth onboarding process, including data migration, setup assistance, and ongoing technical support.
What advantage does Compass offer by being able to access Vaisala’s 40 years of wind and solar data?
Knowing the weather history of a potential site makes predicting future wind and solar resources easier. Combining and calibrating historical weather data with in-situ measurements provides more accurate and bankable data for determining the production potential of a candidate site.
Even better, Compass bolsters that historical information by integrating it with real-time measurements and advanced analytics, continuously refining the historical dataset to provide even more accurate — and actionable — insights.
Is the Compass software modular? Meaning, if an OEM only needed to monitor one phase of a wind farm, is that functionality available?
Yes, the Compass platform was designed to offer various digital services based on meteorological data in a modular, step-by-step fashion, tailored to the different phases and specific needs associated with the development and operation of wind and solar projects.
You introduced the Compass platform at WindEnergy Hamburg. What was the response?
The Compass platform has aroused a lot of customer interest, confirming the demand for a weather-focused platform tailored to wind- and solar-energy projects. Immediately after WindEnergy Hamburg, we received numerous requests from new customers, existing clients, and other partners eager to try out our cloud platform.
These interactions help us refine the platform to meet — and exceed — the diverse needs of our different users, including developers, consultants, resellers, and service partners.
More info www.vaisala.com/en/products/compass-cloud-based-weather-intelligence-platform
