Met Office announces two year contract with ScottishPower Renewables

6 Oct 2016 11:29 AM

ScottishPower Renewables chooses new VisualEyes™ software from the Met Office to provide site-specific weather forecast information.

The two-year contract with ScottishPower Renewables for the recently-enhanced VisualEyes TMproduct will enable ScottishPower Renewables to monitor and keep track of real-time and forecast conditions across its large portfolio of wind farms at its world-leading Whitelee Wind Farm control centre.

Via a dedicated web portal, ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) will have access to the last two hours of real-time data, as well as forecast periods from six hours to 14 days ahead.

VisualEyesTM is an intuitive web-based weather monitoring and alerting system that helps energy asset managers and wind farm operators manage the safety of on-site personnel and plan the most cost-efficient maintenance schedules.

Mark Gailey, control centre manager of SPR, commented: "With 30 sites across the country to monitor, it's vital to have a system that's accurate and that we can trust. VisualEyesTM is central to our renewables operation and will help us to make the most of all weather conditions to operate our wind farms across Britain."

Patrick Sachon, head of energy at the Met Office, added: "Our upgraded VisualEyesTM product has been developed in conjunction with the renewables industry and improves staff and contractor safety by informing site engineers on prevailing weather conditions, allowing them to make critical decisions about health and safety on-site. This upgraded software gives energy asset managers safety-critical weather information in a completely redesigned user interface, allowing engineering managers and site personnel to make crucial on-the-ground decisions wherever they are."

The Met Office will be attending RenewableUK Marketplace on 12-13 October, offering demonstrations of the upgraded VisualEyesTM product and talking to prospective customers about its benefits, in addition to sharing the Met Office's wider expertise in the renewables sector. Visit us at stand 80 to see VisualEyesTM in action.