Naman Malhotra

Remote sensing for

renewable energy
including wind farms,
solar and geothermal
mapping has increased
significantly during the
past few years.
Overview
Geothermal
Thermal Imaging
ASTER
Hyperspectral
Imaging
Geological Signatures
Biological Signatures
Solar
LiDAR & Solar
Mapping
Video
Wind
Doppler LiDAR
SAR Wind Map

Energy Networks
Energy Network
Districts

Geothermal
Reasons for
Remotely Sensing
Geothermal
Activity

Increase the use of
geothermal energy in the
western United States.
Goal is to increase the
resource base for
hydrothermal systems
that can potentially be
used to produce electric
power.
Need to identify and
locate new classes of
hydrothermal systems.
Geothermal Topics
1. Thermal Imaging
using ASTER satellite
data
2. Hyperspectral
Imagery and the
relationship with
geological features
including minerals
and spatial patterns
3. Biological indicators
resulting from
geothermal activity
such as C0
2
Tree Kills


Thermal Imaging
Surface temperature
anomalies associated
with geothermal
activity at Bradys Hot
Springs, Churchill
County, Nevada were
mapped using
Advanced Space borne
Thermal Emission and
Reflection Radiometer
(ASTER) thermal
infrared (TIR) image
data.
Geo- Thermal Imaging
In order to highlight
subsurface contributions of
geothermal heat, the ASTER
images were processed to
minimize temperature
variations caused by the
diurnal heating effects of the
sun. Surface temperature
variations caused by changes
in albedo were corrected with
visible and near-infrared
ASTER bands, and a 10-meter
smoothed Digital Elevation
Model (DEM) was used to
correct for topographic slope
effects. Field measurements of
ground surface temperatures
made over 24-hour periods
were used to design a thermal
inertia correction incorporating
day and night thermal infrared
images.
Correction for topographic effects
on the daytime thermal image: (a)
day temperature image; (b) final
processed image after corrections
for albedo, topographic slope, and
thermal inertia.
Southeast-facing topographic slopes
are warmer in the ASTER daytime
image (a), but in the final processed
image (b), residual temperatures are
largely a function of elevation and
not slope orientation.
Brighter areas indicate higher
surface temperatures. Similar
reductions in topographic shading-
related
temperature anomalies were
obtained with the nighttime images,
where in unprocessed images
southwest-facing slopes are warmer.
Geobotanical
Imaging systems have the
ability to map visible faults,
surface effluents, historical
signatures, and discover
subtle hidden faults and
hidden thermal systems.
Large regions can be imaged
at reasonable costs.
The technique of
Geobotanical remote sensing
for geothermal signatures is
based on recent successes in
mapping faults and effluents
the Long Valley Caldera and
Mammoth Mountain in
California.
Geothermal
Most geothermal
fields have been
discovered by
their surface
effluents.
Typically, springs
and fumaroles are
sampled and
geochemical
analyses are used
to infer the
maximum
temperatures that
the fluids are
exposed to in the
subsurface.
Geothermal
To increase the resource
base significantly, we
must assess whether
there are a large number
of currently undetected
hidden thermal systems,
and develop means to
locate them.
Recently work that was
started by the LLNL
Geothermal Program
three years ago to
develop visible and near
IR hyperspectral
imaging for mapping
subtle Geobotanical
surface expressions of
geothermal systems has
shown great promise.
Using an airplane
platform to conduct a
hyperspectral survey
shown right.
Hyperspectral Imagery
Study area of Hyperspectral survey of geological
features in Long Valley, California

CLASSIFICATION OF GEOLOGICAL
RESULTS
Faults that coincide with these
linearly distributed alteration mineral

Grey-scale (2.2um) subset with
overlaid alteration distributions.
What does this all mean?
Figure 2 highlights a northeast-
trending lineament mapped out by
kaolinite and alunite
distributions, as well as several
northwest-trending lineaments.
The pattern seen in the processed
image of higher temperature
minerals (alunite) surrounded by
lower temperature clays (kaolinite)
is very common in hydrothermal
environments. Though not
currently discharging gasses or
hydrothermal fluids, the northeast-
trending zone seems to be a paleo-
fumarolic zone. The
presence of alunite in particular,
indicates a high acid-sulfate
temperature and low pH, in
agreement with the hypothesis that
a high temperature hydrothermal
reservoir exists beneath
Mammoth Mt.
In other words
The hyperspectral
imagery displays the
spectral signatures of
specific minerals.
The pattern and
combination of these
minerals are strong
indicators of thermal
vents in the area.
This helps to narrow the
search area previously
overlooked for
geothermal activity.
Biological Geological Interactions
Biological geological interactions
can be identified and mapped such
as the spectral-based tree-kill
mapping.
The lightest shades represent
transitional zones (sub-lethal tree
populations), while the darker
shades show the present boundaries
of dead populations.
Massive magmatic CO2-induced
tree kills. Since 1989, over 50
hectares of trees have died
surrounding the volcano.
The Horseshoe Lake Tree-kill is the
site of highest flux on the mountain
with approximately 100 tons/day
fluxing diffusively out of the
ground.
Spectral signatures of healthy robust
trees, dead trees, and
physiologically stressed trees were
extracted from the imagery and
used in several mapping schemes.
In other words
Due to subsurface
activity massive
amounts of C0
2

exhaled from the
mountain in May
1989.
This resulted in a
massive tree kill.
Hyperspectral
imagery shows both
spatial and temporal
resolutions
Combing the spatial
relationship of the
tree kill with the close
approximation of the
volcano may indicate
geothermal activity in
the area.
Hyperspectral & Geothermal Applicability
Hyperspectral data can
provide geological and
biological information
about a system quickly,
synoptically and
without a host of other
ground based
monitoring programs.
This makes it an
attractive tool for
studying other calderas
around the world
which often lack basic
maps as well as dense
seismic, GPS, and
geochemical
monitoring programs.
Solar Topics
1. Mapping solar
intensity and
suitably using
LIDAR
2. Short LiDAR
video animating
a study carried
out in Germany


LiDAR & Solar
Solar energy generating
technologies can be
divided into two basic
categories: those that
produce electricity, and
those that produce heat.
The electricity
generating technologies
are photovoltaic (PV)
cells that convert solar
radiation into direct
current electricity.
Solar heating systems
are comprised of solar
thermal collectors that
capture heat energy
from the sun for use in a
variety of heating
applications.

LiDAR & Solar
To assess the solar
energy available on
building rooftops, three
fundamental processes
must be
considered. These are:

Atmospheric effects
Surface effects, and
Sun geometry
LiDAR & Solar
When assessing building
rooftop solar energy
across an entire city,
surface effects become
the most important of
these factors to consider.
Surface effects include
the influence of
obstructions that might
shade a rooftop, such as
another building or a
tree, and also include
geometric parameters
related to the roof itself,
namely orientation and
slope.
LiDAR & Solar
Generating surface
geometries is well suited
to LiDAR since it
provides a highly
accurate three-
dimensional
representation of
features on the ground.

From the LiDAR data it
is then relatively simple
to produce rooftop
slopes and orientations
using available tools in
Geographic Information
System (GIS) software.
Wind & Doppler LiDAR

Accurate measurement of
wind speed profiles aloft in
the marine boundary layer
is a difficult challenge
motion-compensated, high-
resolution Doppler lidar
based wind measurement
system is capable of
providing needed
information on offshore
winds at several heights
sensors may also be
mounted on portable
floating platforms, such as
ships or buoys
Motion compensating,
scanning Doppler lidar
based wind measurement
system that is capable of
producing reliable vertical
profiles of marine wind
speed and direction from
shipboard at high
resolution (,10 m).
Wind & Doppler LiDAR
Similar in concept to
Doppler weather radar,
although the scattering
targets for its near-IR
signal are aerosol
particles rather than
hydrometeors.
This makes the LiDAR
useful for mapping the
wind field in clear air,
since aerosol particles
are widely distributed in
the lowest 24 km of the
atmosphere and near the
ocean surface salt
particles are especially
effective backscatter
targets.
Wind & SAR
Satellite wind maps from
Envisat Wide Swath Mode
ASAR appear to be very
useful for the mapping of
wind resources for larger
regions.
This is an advantage for
screening of coastlines for
potential offshore wind
farm projects. It is of
particular value in pre-
feasibility studies, and for
identifying a suitable site
for an offshore
meteorological mast. The
resolution of 1.6 km
appears adequate.

Wind speed map from Envisat WSM ASAR covering
the Danish Seas on 23 June 2004.
Wind & SAR
In case a local region is out in tender,
it may be advisable to use higher
resolution SAR imagery from ERS and
Envisat (IMP and APP) modes to get
higher spatial resolution (400m) (12)
for detailed planning of the outlay.
Major advantages of SAR for wind
resource mapping are: 1) coverage of
the coastal zone in which most wind
farming projects are in progress; 2)
sufficient number of available data for
much of the globe in the ESA archives;
3) fast and well established
methodology for applied use for wind
engineers are available.
The major limitation is that the
accuracy is sufficient in pre-feasibility
phase but not bankable. This means
satellite-based wind resource mapping
is relevant in the early phase of a wind
farm project. At a later stage, when the
financing is decided, other sources of
wind resource statistics are needed.


Mean wind speed map based on 20 Envisat Wide
Swath Mode wind maps covering the Danish
Seas.
Energy District Networks
Utilize local
renewable
resources for heat
production.
Identify energy
potential within a
given area.
Apply remote
sensing
techniques to
correlate
relationships
between energy
sources and/or
potential
Energy District Networks
The majority of
energy-related
remote sensing
applications are
devoted to
medium to
small-scale
applications for
bioenergy, solar
radiation and
wind energy
potential.

Energy District
Networks
For solar energy
applications two
targets may be
identified: (a) wide-
ranging overview
estimations of solar
radiation and solar
energy potentials;
and (b) spatially
detailed
applications.
For example aiming
at single houses and
potentials for
photovoltaic
installations.
Energy District
Networks
Biomass can
supplement
coal or in some
cases gas in
conventional
power plants.
Remotely
sensed data
have become
the primary
source for
biomass
estimation.
Energy District
Networks
Less commonly
found in urban
areas are remote
sensing based
wind energy
applications.
GIS applications
most useful for
handing data and
making
predictions.
However,
difficulty
obtaining accurate
wind data with
remotely sensed
systems.

References

Pickles, W. L., Kasameyer, P. W., Martini, B. A., Potts, D. C., & Silver, E. A. (2001, May).
Geobotanical Remote Sensing for Geothermal Exploration. Geothermal Resources Council,
Retrieved from http://www.doc.gov/bridge.
Coolbaugh, M. F., Kratt, C., Fallacaro, A., Calvin, W. M., J.V. Taranik Great, & (2007).
Detection of geothermal anomalies using Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and
Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) thermal infrared images at Bradys Hot Springs, Nevada, USA.
Remote Sensing of Environment, 106 , 350359. Retrieved from www.elsevier.com/locate/rse
Banta, R., Brewer, A., Sandberg, S., Hardesty, M. (2012, February). Doppler LidarBased
Wind-Profile Measurement System for Offshore Wind-Energy and Other Marine Boundary
Layer Applications. Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, and NOAA/Earth
System Research Laboratory.

Gei, C.; Taubenbck, H.; Wurm, M.; Esch, T.; Nast, T., Schillings, T.; Blaschke, T. (2011).
Remote Sensing-Based Characterization of Settlement Structures for Assessing Local Potential
of District Heat. Remote Sensing, 3, 1447-1471. Retrieved from
www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensinghttp://energy-alaska.wikidot.com/pilgrim-hot-
springs-project-phase-1
Tooke, T. R. (2013, March). Opportunities for Mapping Rooftop Solar Energy using
LiDAR. Retrieved from www.toolkit.bc.ca Reports & Guides
faults that coincide with these linearly distributed alteration minerals
Hasager, C. B., Nielsen, M., Christiansen, M. B., Barthelmie, R., & Astrup, P. (2006). Advances
on wind energy resource mapping from SAR. SEASAR 2006-Advances in SAR oceanography
from ENVISAT and ERS missions.

Thank you
Questions?