anomemeters

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UI TESTS WIND TURBINE FEASIBILITY (Wind Energy Page)
UI Power Plant staff and Anemometry Specialists installed two "cup" anemometers at 262 ft on the communications tower located south of the old UI Hills Observatory site Thursday, May 10, 2007. The anemometers will provide wind data information to the UI over the next year to determine if it is a viable site to erect a commercial grade wind turbine.

The plan is to have the data from the two anemometer sites, Scattergood School and Hills Observatory, side by side on live web feed. See Live Wind Measurements. The UI will gather data for approximately one year and make some determination if either site is viable for a commercial grade wind turbine and whether erecting a wind turbine would be a good business decision for the University. This will potentially add to the UI's balanced portfolio of renewable energy. Partners in the data collection project are Scattergood School, Cornell College, UI College of Engineering and Facilities Management. Installers: Anemometry Specialists.

Foreground: Rob Hach, Owner - Anemometry Specialists. Rob Hach has owned the business for five years. His dad, Ken Hach, is one of Iowa's early pioneers in the resurgence of wind energy. Ken's three sons all ended up in work relating to the environment and wind energy.

Background (left to right): Alan Axelson, Lead Tech, Anemometry Specialists; A.J. Linke, Lead Tech, Anemometry Specialists; George Patterson, UI Power Plant; Quinn Nierling, Field Tech, Anemometry Specialists; Joe Schwarzhoff, UI Power Plant; and Mark Maxwell UI Power Plant

Alan Axelson, lead tech for Anemometry Specialists, says the thing he enjoys most about climbing so high up on the towers is seeing everything from above and taking in all the sights.

Anemometry Specialists installs most of the wind data measurement equipment in Iowa, and is one of about five companies with the largest volume of installations in the nation.

Above: The crew thoroughly discussed the entire ascent of the tower for over a half hour. Al Axelson, Anemometry Specialists, was the only one going up, but they all discussed what Al called, "A complete run-through of the entire ascent, how each piece of equipment was to be attached and the tools that were needed to complete the job safely." They discuss every possible thing that could happen and every scenario in the event of an incident, and what roles each of the field techs on the ground would play. At 2:30 they began the prep and planning work and at 3:50 Al began to ascend the tower. The term "HEADACHE" when shouted, means everyone clear the area of the base of the tower and don't look up, somebody dropped something. Right: Al Axelson ascends the tower to install the wind data instrument.
	Final adjustment of the instrument, including wind velocity and wind direction monitoring equipment.
The anemometer data logger has a solar panel to keep batteries charged for cell phone transmission of the data to the UI .

Photo taken from the UI Hills Observatory site after installation.