Columbia Weather Systems

As noted by our May News brief on Swinerton Renewable Energy, weather monitoring for solar power projects has been a growing market for Columbia Weather Systems over the past few years. With this experience, we have put together three weather station systems to meet various monitoring requirements. All systems feature the Weather MicroServer in a weatherproof enclosure with panel temperature and solar radiation sensor(s). • Solar 1 Weather Stations add an Orion all-in-one sensor unit with ultrasonic wind direction and speed measurements, a highly-accurate impact rain sensor, capacitive relative humidity, temperature and barometric pressure readings. No moving parts enhances ease of use and durability. • Solar 2 Weather Stations feature the ease of the Vela all-in-one sensor package with reliable, mechanical wind sensors, temperature and humidity sensors in a radiation shield, and a solid state barometric pressure sensor. • Solar 3 Weather Stations feature simply the Weather Micro...

In collaboration with customer Joule Unlimited, Columbia Weather Systems has added a quantum sensor option to measure photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) – solar radiation in the spectral range 400-700 nm. The sensor can be added to any CWS weather station with a Weather MicroServer. The quantum sensor is useful for applications such as greenhouse management in agricultural operations. Joule Unlimited has developed a technology platform to produce diesel and ethanol fuel from sunlight, non-potable water and waste CO 2 . To help monitor their process, they are using a Weather MicroServer with the quantum sensor, as well as a modular Capricorn 2000EX Weather Station measuring wind speed and direction, air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, solar radiation, and rainfall. With its technology now proven and operating at pilot scale, Joule is advancing towards commercial fuel production expected to begin in 2013.