Geoinformation Systems for Renewable Energy (Review)

A brief review of geoinformation systems (GIS) intended for collection, storage, integration, analysis, and graphical interpretation of spatial and temporal data on various technologies for the application of renewable energy sources (RES) to make substantiated decisions on the development of RES based energy (here in after referred to as renewable energy) is presented. The development of the geoinformation system "Renewable Energy Sources of Russia" (GIS "RES of Russia") commenced in 2010 and was performed by specialists from the Faculty of Geography of Lomonosov Moscow State University and JIHT RAS. It is focused on the spatial mapping of solar and wind energy resources for the territory of Russia. The initial data for the assessment of these resources are formed mainly on the basis of satellite measurements, mathematical modeling and verification of the results against ground-based meteorological observations. The geographic information system also contains data on operating and designed renewable energy facilities and scientific, educational, and commercial organizations engaged in this area. As the geoinformation system has been developing, it has been supplemented with information on the distribution of geothermal energy resources and the energy of small rivers over the territory of Russia as well as with estimates of the specific capacity of solar and wind energy installations, the gross and technical potential of crop, livestock, horticulture, and viticulture waste. The paper briefly describes the methods and approaches employed for the development of GIS, including those for improvement of resource data spatial resolution and calculation of renewable energy sources technical potential considering hi-tech advancements. Lines for further development and improvement of the domestic geoinformation system are formulated.