Vaisala Experts Take Stage at AMS Conference Naomi Stringfield Marketing Manager Published: Jan 18, 2017 Wind and Solar Energy New weather research is key for the continued success of the renewable energy industry Next week the largest academic weather event in the United States will descend on the city of Seattle. As a scientific organization and global leader in weather measurement, Vaisala has continually played a significant role at the American Meteorological Society (AMS) conference and annual meeting. Each year we are one of the main exhibitors and also send a large group of experts to present new research. With a total of 12 presenters taking the stage next week, 2017 is no exception and Vaisala's role within the weather science sphere is even more prominent this year with the conference theme of "Observations Lead the Way." However, two elements make this year particularly exciting: renewable energy and location. Renewable energy is inherently reliant on weather, which makes investment in new weather research for energy applications key to improving its efficiency and utilization. As the energy industry continues its rapid transformation, wind and solar power become increasingly more important, and the AMS conference program is shifting to reflect this. Of our 12 presentations at AMS this year, five are by scientists within our new renewable energy business unit, which is actually centered in Seattle where a majority of our energy staff work and our new wind and solar research is conducted. Our energy scientists' presentations demonstrate the breadth of Vaisala's work within the renewable energy field and discuss topics that are increasingly gaining focus within the industry. Please view the program here or see the details below to attend the live presentations. Topic: Understanding the impact of El Niño and other seasonal weather patterns on U.S. wind production Title: Seasonal-Scale Variability of Wind Energy and Its Relationship to ENSO and Other Teleconnections Time: Tuesday, 24 January 2017: 5:00 PM Speaker: Mark T. Stoelinga Topic: Improving wind energy forecasting in complex terrain and the findings of a DOE-funded study led by Vaisala Title: Overview of the Wind Forecasting Improvement Project in Complex Terrain (WFIP2) Time: Wednesday, 25 January 2017: 8:30 AM Speaker: Jim McCaa Topic: Validating new methods for modeling solar resources and improving the accuracy of pre-construction solar energy estimates Title: Validation of Alternative Methods of Clear Sky Irradiance Modeling for Solar Energy Resource Assessment Time: Thursday, 26 January 2017: 1:45 PM Speaker: William Gustafson Topic: Forecasting wind and solar energy on a seasonal basis (3-12 month horizon) to support operators in annual budget setting and revenue planning Title: Benchmarking the Accuracy of Seasonal Forecasting for Renewable Energy Resource Anomalies Time: Thursday, 26 January 2017: 4:45 PM Speaker: Eric P. Grimit Topic: Using remote sensing technology to understand and evaluate wind turbine underperformance Title: Outer Range Wind Conditions in the Continental United States in 2010 Time: Wednesday, 25 January 2017 Speaker: Andrew Hastings Black