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…from the Fall 2009 issue of ArcNews…
Highlights:
- Using ArcGIS Desktop tools, researchers identified all necessary rooftop data.
- ArcGIS Desktop ModelBuilder was used to determine the solar potential of all roof areas.
- The ModelBuilder application gave the team an intuitive interface.
“The solar age has dawned in Germany. About 20 percent of the country’s rooftops are suitable for solar power production, according to recent results from the SUN-AREA Research Project. The project aims to determine how solar energy resources can be optimized by placing photovoltaic panels on rooftops around the country.
“The SUN-AREA project is sponsored by the University of Osnabrück and the TOPSCAN topographical information company. It is led by geomatics engineer Martina Klärle and researchers Dorothea Ludwig and Sandra Lanig.
“Preliminary findings of the SUN-AREA project estimate that, at full potential, solar power could meet the entire energy needs of homes throughout Germany. The team began its work with an examination of the northern German city of Osnabrück.”
Building an Oasis in the Desert: GIS Helps Ensure that Masdar City Meets Its Carbon-Neutral, Zero-Waste Goals
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/building-an-oasis.html
Sumatra—Forest Cover and Change 1990–2000
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/conservation1.html
Mapping Ecosystem Services in the Sierra Nevada, California
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/conservation5.html
Global Gap Analysis—August 2003, First Iteration
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume20/conservation10.html
Global Population Density Estimates for 2015
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/sustainable_dev1.html
Combined Suitability of Land for Rainfed Crops and Pastures
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/sustainable_dev2.html
3D Population Distribution in the Bay Area in 2000
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/sustain_dev1.html
Food Insecurity and Vulnerability in Sekhukhune, Republic of South Africa
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/sustain_dev2.html
Key Drivers of Food Insecurity and Vulnerability in the Greater Sekhukhune Municipality, Republic of South Africa
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/sustain_dev3.html
Back to the Future
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/sustainabledev3.html
Reducing the Impact of Transportation on the Human Footprint
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/sustainable5.html
Regional Conservation Priorities for Upper Guinean and Congo Basin Forests
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/conservation1.html
Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priorities
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/conservation2.html
The Nature Audit—Cumulative Human Footprint
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/conservation6.html
Atlas of the Biodiversity of California
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/ca3.html
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act Priority Project Lists I–XIII
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/la7.html
Wetland Mitigation: Restoring Montana’s Wetlands
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/mt1.html
GIS Mapping of the Yields of Ohio’s Aquifers
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/oh1.html
Rhode Island Land Suitability Analysis for Development Intensity and Conservation
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/ri1.html
Narragansett Bay Coastal Wetland Trends Analysis 1950s–1990s
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/state1/ri3.html
Adapting to Climate Change: The Global Adaptation Atlas
http://www.rff.org/News/ClimateAdaptation/Documents/Adaptation%20Atlas%20-%20Project%20Overview.pdf
FORMA = Forest Monitoring for Action: Tracking Deforestation, One Regression at a Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2XVCS9OleQ&feature=player_embedded
CITYgreen Calculates Environmental Benefits of Trees and Green Space
http://www.americanforests.org/productsandpubs/citygreen/
Visualizing Priority Conservation Areas in Western North America
http://tncclimate.esri.com/TNC/ClimateChange.html
Changing Vegetation and Challenges to Borders of Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1709.html
Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1763.html
Climate Change Impacts on Watersheds in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1143.html
Westchester County’s Green Map Aids County Global Warming Task Force Plans
http://www.esri.com/news/arcwatch/0808/green-map.html
Delta Habitat Opportunities – Assessing Risks with Climate Change
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1088.html
Developing the Next Generation of Climate Action Plans
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1825.html
Influence of Climate Change on Outbreak of Leaf Spot Disease
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1034.html
Local Climate Change GIS—Data-Based Visioning Tools for Community Decision-Making
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1603.html
Transportation Modeling and Climate Change Analysis
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1824.html
Conserving Bolivia’s Critical Resources
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring08articles/conserving-bolivias.html
Ecosystem Vulnerability to Climate Change in Panama
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1800.html
Modeling Landscape Connectivity in the Southern Appalachians under Climate Change
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc08/papers/abstracts/a1970.html
Philippine Tarsiers Conservation Program Streamlined with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0304articles/philippine-tarsiers.html
For Puget Sound, Washington, GIS and Modeling Are Protecting and Restoring Shorelines and Open Spaces
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0506articles/for-puget-sound.html
Kenya’s Kiunga Marine National Reserve Studies Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Conservation with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0203articles/kenyas-kiunga-marine.html
Mapping Benthic Habitats: The Marine GIS Challenge
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring05articles/mapping-benthic.html
The Charlotte, North Carolina, Urban Area Now Has a “Green Theme”
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer04articles/charlotte-northcarolina.html
Rangeland Health Data Collection and Analysis Improved with Mobile GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring08articles/rangeland-health.html
U.S. Department of Agriculture Produces Objective and Accurate Global Assessments with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0304articles/usda-produces.html
Spreading Data Improves Crop Yield
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0607articles/spreading-data.html
International Coffee Marketing and Certification Aided With GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0304articles/international-coffee.html
Sri Lanka Uses GIS for Planning and Management of Irrigation Systems
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0304articles/sri-lanka.html
Formulating a Sustainable Development Land Use Scenario Using GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall02articles/formulating-sustainable.html
Colorado’s North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization Makes Ride Sharing Easier with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0506articles/colorados-north-front.html
Supporting Island Land Conservation
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0607articles/supporting-island.html
Traditional Knowledge Meets New Tools
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer06articles/traditional-knowledge.html
Bibliographies in this series:
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 1: Climate Science
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 2: Carbon Management
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 3: Renewable Energy
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 4: Sustainability
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 5: Disaster Management
Assessing Economic Biomass Resource Potential for Bioenergy and Biobased Products
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental7.html
Wind Resources of the Western United States, 2007–2008 Edition
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/electric2.html
New Mexico Renewable Energy Resource Potential with Existing Energy Transmission Lines
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/electric4.html
Developing Wind Farms: Screening for Potential Sites
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/electric6.html
Atlas of UK Marine Renewable Energy Resources
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume24/mining1.html
Renewable Energy Siting: Collocating Wind Energy and Ethanol Production in Kansas
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/electric2.html
Renewable Energy: GIS and the Science Behind Tapping Wind Power Offer Insight on the Resource’s Feasibility
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/renewable-energy.html
Mapping the Solar Potential of Rooftops: Germany’s SUN-AREA Research Project Uses GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/mapping-the-solar.html
Assessing Economic Biomass Resources in California with GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/assessing-economic.html
GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Searching for Suitable Sites
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html
GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Determining Resource Potential
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html
GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Airflow Analysis for Wind Power
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html
GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Attracting Renewable Investors
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html
GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Environmental Impact Assessment of Proposed Wind Turbines
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html
GIS to Meet Renewable Energy Goals: Economic and Government Considerations of Wind Resources
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall09articles/gis-to-meet.html
GIS—A Common Tool for Sustainable Wind Development
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1894.html
Impact of Future Wind Farm Development on the Avesnois Park Landscape
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume22/environment5.html
The Los Angeles County Solar Mapping Portal
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1805.html
Geothermal Map of North America, 2004
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume20/mining2.html
Development of the Biomass Energy Use Business Evaluation GIS Software
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1159.html
Siting a Solar Power Project
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/sustainabledev7.html
GIS-Based Renewable Resource Supply Curves for the ReEDS Model
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1893.html
GIS in Support of the Concentrating Solar Power Program
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/sustainabledev1.html
Micro-climate Solar Modeling over Complex Terrain
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc07/papers/abstracts/a1904.html
The Big Sky State Taps Wind Resources
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer08articles/the-big-sky-state.html
Ethanol Buzz Fuels GIS Planning by Colonial Pipeline Company
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall08articles/ethanol-buzz.html
Boston Showcases Solar Power Potential with Web GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/fall08articles/boston-showcases.html
Measuring the Economics of Biofuel Availability
http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/1006/biomass1of2.html
Bibliographies in this series:
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 1: Climate Science
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 2: Carbon Management
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 3: Renewable Energy
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 4: Sustainability
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 5: Disaster Management
…from the ESRI Map Book, Volume 24…
“The Atlas of UK (United Kingdom) Marine Renewable Energy Resources stands as an example of an interactive data-management system, delivered across a range of GIS enabled formats: hard-copy maps, desktop application, and Web application. The range of delivery platforms has enabled the Renewables Atlas to become a highly regarded data resource outlining the potential opportunities within the UK marine renewable energy sector (tide, wind, and wave) for stakeholders and developers alike. The atlas now represents the most detailed regional description of potential marine energy resources in UK waters ever completed at a national scale and is being used to help guide policy and planning decisions for future site leasing rounds.
“Crown copyright. This project was commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.”
National Carbon Sequestration (NatCarb)
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental10.html
City of Irvine’s GHG GIS Protocol
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1826.html
The Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership Region
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume23/environmental6.html
GIS Contributes to Groundbreaking Carbon Emissions Inventory
http://www.esri.com/library/newsletters/giseducator/gised-winter08.pdf
Predicting the Vegetation Distribution and Terrestrial Carbon-Fluxes Using MC1 Model
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1479.html
Generalized Contours of the Sauk Sequence for Characterization of Saline Aquifers for CO2 Sequestration
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume19/environment3.html
ESRI Commits to Clinton Global Initiative with Carbon Reduction Solution
http://www.esri.com/news/releases/09_4qtr/global_initiative.html
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2009/2009-09-28-03.asp
New Zealand Enlists GIS to Monitor Greenhouse Gas
http://www.esri.com/news/releases/09_3qtr/new_zealand_greenhouse.html
Enhanced Oil Recovery Revives Petroleum Fields and Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions
http://www.esri.com/news/arcwatch/0209/salt-creek.html
ESRI Commits to Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/09/17/norway-lauds-guyana%E2%80%99s-forestry-initiative/
http://opnew.op.gov.gy/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=722:esri-commits-to-guyana-&catid=34:bulletins&Itemid=70
Illinois Basin Coal GIS Datasets for Coal Bed Methane, Carbon Sequestration, and Coal Resource Studies
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_gallery/volume21/mining4.html
Measuring the Carbon Content of Forests: The Carbon Measurement Collaborative
http://www.clintonfoundation.org/what-we-do/clinton-climate-initiative/our-approach/forests/measuring-carbon
Forestry Carbon Trading Opportunities Explored with GIS
http://www.esri.com/library/newsletters/environment/envobs-winter2009.pdf#page=8
Baselining CO2 Emissions of Las Vegas Residential Streets
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1013.html
Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Communications Supported by GIS
http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0607articles/carbon-dioxide.html
Carbonfootprinting on the CSUN Campus Using ArcGIS
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1462.html
Carbon Nation: Automated GIS Process is Creating a Snapshot of Biomass and Carbon in U.S. Forests
http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/1008/carbon.html
Web-GIS for Managing Agroforestry for Carbon Sequestration in East-Africa
http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc09/uc/abstracts/a1485.html
Bibliographies in this series:
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 1: Climate Science
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 2: Carbon Management
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 3: Renewable Energy
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 4: Sustainability
- GIS for Climate Change Bibliography, Part 5: Disaster Management
…from the Fall 2009 issue of ArcNews…
Highlights:
- ArcGIS improves the quality and accessibility of data to maximize the efficiency of decision making.
- Nearly all the wind power facility layouts can be done with GIS.
- Locating the right site can be done quickly and accurately with publicly available data and GIS technology.
“When Miguel de Cervantes wrote of the impetuous and noble hero Don Quixote 400 years ago, he could not have imagined that one day environmental scientists and energy analysts would “dream the impossible dream” of stocking the electric grid with the power of the wind. Nor could he have envisioned the hulking giants that now line many a horizon, the 400-foot-tall wind turbines each wielding three 130-foot steel blades and weighing 8.5 tons. When he talked of tilting at windmills, the Spanish literary master would not have guessed that public utilities, private companies, and investors would someday look to the wind to “beat the unbeatable foes” of waning fossil fuel supply and deleterious carbon emissions.
“Wind energy now accounts for 1 percent of the United States’ power supply, and forecasts from the U.S. Department of Energy say that figure could reach 20 percent by 2030. While wind farms crop up across the country’s windiest terrain, critics point to the need for new transmission lines and the variability of the wind. Many citizens support the idea as long as it’s “not in my backyard.”"
…from the Fall 2009 issue of ArcNews…
“California has a large and diverse biomass resource base that could potentially provide the state with renewable energy, according to research from the California Biomass Collaborative. Feedstock for biomass energy production in California comes from forestry and forest products; agriculture; and urban sources, such as municipal wastes. Biomass may also emerge in the form of new crops as the state moves to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and petrochemical feedstock and use more sustainable and renewable resources for energy and products.
“In a recent report, the California Energy Commission asserted that dedicated biomass crops for energy, fuels, chemicals, and other bioproducts may develop given sufficient market incentives or in association with new agronomic practices.”
…from the Fall 2009 issue of ArcNews…
“Throughout the developed world, there is ongoing interest in renewable energy as a replacement for traditional fossil fuel. Wind farms are cropping up around the world, and the sunniest spots are slated for solar power potential, while additional significant strides are being made to expand geothermal, tidal, biomass, and other types of generation. Motives for renewable energy development vary from place to place, but the recurring theme is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions—a smaller carbon footprint. All agree on the need to tread more lightly, and with GIS technology, the path to renewable energy is becoming clearer.
“The identification of areas technically suitable for renewable generation involves the collection of existing information, such as historical wind speed and direction, terrain and slope information, and solar radiation. Data must be analyzed for currency, accuracy, and completeness. Further data collection may be required.”
…from the Fall 2009 issue of ArcNews…
Highlights:
- Every facet of designing and building the city will be analyzed with ArcGIS.
- Asset management using ArcGIS means all systems can be visualized, maintained, and tracked efficiently.
- An enterprise geodatabase will be used throughout the city’s life cycle.
“Many of us are interested in decreasing our carbon footprint, whether one individual, one family, or one organization at a time. Imagine living in an entire city specifically designed to meet the ambitious goals of zero waste; sustainable living; and, ultimately, carbon neutrality. This is the vision of Masdar City, which is being designed and constructed in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), by Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multifaceted initiative advancing the development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions. Masdar, which means “the source” in Arabic, integrates the full technology life cycle—from research to commercial deployment. The Masdar company aims to create renewable energy solutions.”

These maps show how wind resources in Indiana increase with height.
…from the Spring 2009 issue of ArcNews…
Highlights:
- Using ArcGIS Desktop software, the NREL team can determine the most favorable locations for wind farms.
- GIS-based modeling enables analysis of terrain, which significantly impacts the quality of wind at a particular site.
- The primary audience for these maps is government decision makers.

