Abstract

Using GIS to Manage Surveys for Large Renewable Energy Projects
Track: Renewable Energy
Authors: Dillon Fitch, Gwen Wolph, Yuying Li, Anders Burvall

There is an increasing dependence on GIS to function as not only a cartographic tool to display data, but as a management tool to better organize environmental surveys. Current environmental surveys for large renewable energy projects cover greater area, require greater personnel and coordination between multiple agencies, and are increasingly under tight time constraints (federal stimulus funding). We pose a procedure that has a quick start up, is efficient throughout the survey process, and leads not only to effective mapping of environmental data, but of organized databases which can be delivered to clients or agencies for their internal use. The procedures includes: database design and setup, specialized GPS dictionaries/forms for data collection, specialized geoprocessing tools (modelbuilder/python) for cleaning data, as well as use of ArcGIS Server for data QC. This procedure was developed and enacted by HDR for Iberdrola's Tule Wind Project in East San Diego County.