Geographic Models
Activity 3.3 in WP 3
Coordinated by: TESAF
Table of contents
1
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 3
2
RESULTS FROM PPS............................................................................................................. 4
3
EXAMPLES ........................................................................................................................ 17
4
CRITICAL REVIEW .............................................................................................................. 21
4.1
Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................21
4.2
Graphic Display ................................................................................................................................................22
4.3
Geographical extension and scale of information .............................................................................................22
4.4
General considerations .....................................................................................................................................23
List of tables
Table 1: Summary of main characteristics of GIS applications and datasets presented by the PPs. ............................ 4
Table 2: Links to the GIS application and datasets. ....................................................................................................13
List of figures
Figure 1: Screenshot of the Register of projects and facilities for usage of RESs, CHP and preferential producers
WebGIS. ....................................................................................................................................................................17
Figure 2: Screenshot of the Geothopica WebGIS........................................................................................................19
Figure 3: Screenshot of the PVGIS WebGIS. ...............................................................................................................20
2
1
Introduction
To assess which geographic models have been developed in the past for the production of maps
related to renewable energy sources (RESs) and their combined use a common template was given
to all the partners together with a brief guidance for its completion.
For each dataset, map or model the required information was distinguished as follows:
 Name of GIS system/application/dataset
 Link or location
 Geographical area(s)
 Types of RESs analysed
 Types of maps and data collected
 Types of parameters analysed
 Availability of digital maps and data
 Aims
 Methodology and assumptions
 Conclusion
3
2
Results from PPs
The main information gathered by the Project Partners (PP) is summarized in the table that follows.
Table 1: Summary of main characteristics of GIS applications and datasets presented by the PPs.
1
PP
Name
Geographical
area(s)
Types of RESs
analysed
Types of maps and data collected
Types of parameters analysed
Availability of digital
maps and data
CEV
GeoThopica
Italy
Geothermal
Data is taken from the National
Geothermal database put together by
the ‘International Institute for
Geothermal Research in Pisa of the
National Research Council’ after the
completion of the inventory of
geothermal resources carried out by
CNR, ENEA, ENEL and ENI.
The database contains: (1) the
identification and location of wells and
springs (available), (2) temperature and
depth (in progress), (3) temperature
gradient and heat flow, (4) lithostratigraphic column of the wells (in
progress), (5) characteristics of the
reservoir, (6) well production, (7)
chemical, physical and isotopic data of
water and gas,(8) well’s technical profile,
(9) correlation between vertical and
deviated well, (10) permeability and (11)
Maps related to temperatures
of specific depth and heat flows
are used as basis, on which wells
and springs (at scales over
1:1,000,000) are visualised
(their main characteristics are
also available). A pop-up
window, containing key
information registries, appears
when clicking on the chosen
spring or well.
Public access to data
through WebGIS (using
the WGS84 reference
system) currently
allows you to work up
to scale 1:950.000. The
graphs of temperature
with depth and
summary description of
the stratigraphy of the
wells will soon be
publicly available.
4
mineralizations within the well.
Geophysical and energy demand data
are now being inserted.
2
KSSENA,
TESAF
Transenergy
Pannonian
Basin
Geothermal
Cartographic, thermal water use,
thermal water utilization, thermal waste
water management, thermal boreholes
exploitation. Pilot areas have been used
to gather data.
3
IGR
Portalul de
date geofizice
al Institutului
Geologic al
Romaniei
Pannonian
Basin
Geothermal
Cartographic data: geological maps at
1:200,000 scale, geological maps at
1:50,000 scale (available only at the
contact of Pannonian Basin with Apuseni
Mountains) and hydrogeological maps at
1:100,000 scale.
4
REAN
Register of
projects and
facilities for
usage of RESs,
CHP and
preferential
Croatia
Geothermal, solar,
hydro, wind,
biomass, biogas,
liquid bio-fuel,
landfill gas, and
wastewater
Data from the register that contains
basic information (geographic location
and basic technical information) of all
RESs projects related to Solar, Hydro,
Wind, Biomass, Geothermal, Biogas,
Liquid bio-fuel, Landfill gas and
Geothermal aquifers
characteristics, thermal water
production and characteristics
(‘borehole’ level, operational
monitoring, heating and
bathing), geothermal potential
(isotherms, temperatures at
different depths heat flow
density), reservoirs
(distinguished considering
temperature and geology).
General parameters: (1)
hypsometry, (2) geographical
morphology, (3) sum of annual
precipitation, (4) the main types
of soils, (5) mean annual
temperature, (6) sun exposure
of slopes and (7) gradient of
slopes. Geothermal parameters:
(1) geothermic flux and (2)
geoisotherms at 3000 m.
(1) Plant category, (2) name of
project, (3) project coordinator,
(4) plant type, (5) county, (6)
location, (7) electrical capacity
(MW), (8) thermal capacity
(MW), (9) type of approval and
A lot of information is
given in the WebGIS
and in databases.
Public access to data
through WebGIS
currently allows you to
work up to scale
1:1.000.000. Data is
under the copyright law
jurisdiction and only
those belonging to
Geological Institute of
Romania, or published
data may be used.
Interactive map and
data are available.
Additional data is
available on request.
5
producers
treatment.
wastewater gas and CHP plants.
(10) date of enforceability.
5
REAP
Velingrad, 97
Geothermal
springs
Velingrad city,
Pazardzhik
district,
Bulgaria.
Geothermal
(1) Number of geothermal resources, (2)
depth of drilling and (3) parameters of
geothermal sources, including flow
(litre/sec.) аnd outlet temperature of
the borehole.
(1) Geothermal aquifers
characteristics, (2) thermal
water production – ‘borehole’
level and (3) operational
monitoring – ‘borehole’ level.
No digital maps are
available. Data is
available from PP.
6
REAP
Municipality
of
Panaguyrishte
, Forest
biomass –
wood residues
resulting from
industrial
logging
Municipality
of
Panaguyrishte
, Pazardzhik
district,
Bulgaria.
Biomass
(1) Identification of forest reserves in
the municipality, (2) annual production
of forest biomass, (3) identifying the
demand for heat in the municipality and
(4) determination of the municipal
heating costs provided by conventional
energy sources.
(1) Availability of forest biomass,
(2) annual energy potential of
the biomass available, (3)
analysis of the potential for the
production of pellets from
forest biomass, (4) calculating
the price per unit of heat energy
from pellets and (5) feasibility
study for changing conventional
fuels for heating with pellets in
public buildings of
Panaguyrishte.
No digital maps are
available. Data is
available from PP.
7
REAPCEV-IGR
Photovoltaic
Geographical
Information
System (PV
GIS)
Interactive
Maps
Europe
Solar
Use of climatologic data homogenized
for Europe and available in the European
Solar Radiation Atlas.
Creation of a solar radiation
database.
The application enables to
calculate: (1) performance of
Grid-connected PV (e.g., electric
generation), (2) monthly
irradiation data, (3) average
daily solar irradiance and (4)
stand alone PV estimation.
WebGIS, maps, rasters
and spreadsheets of
available data.
6
8
CEV
Atlante
Nazionale
Biomasse
ENEA
Italy
Agricultural and
forest biomass and
biogas
It is a database available online that
contains information on the quantities
of agricultural and forestry biomass and
biogas that can be produced taken from
different sources.
9
CEV
Interactive
Wind Atlas
Italy
Wind
Wind maps produced through the use of
the WINDS model together with
surveyed data.
The atlas consists of 7
geodatabase on annual biomass
potentially available at a
provincial level on the Italian
territory, broken down by
categories and types: (1)
agricultural biomass (straw,
prunings, rice husks, fruit shells,
husks and skins), (2) forest
biomass (wood hardwood,
softwood, arboriculture), (3)
energy crops (sorghum,
miscanthus, cardoon, panic,
arundo), (4) pig farms biogas, (5)
cattle farms biogas, (6) biogas
from biowaste (organic fraction
of municipal solid waste) and (7)
biogas from abattoir waste.
The module for calculating the
energy performance and cost is
powered directly from the
recorded data on the maps, with
the ability to make more
acquisitions in the same session.
The data made available is: (1)
Digital Terrain Model
(topography); (2) wind speed at
25 m, 50 m, 75 m and 100 m
above ground level or sea level;
(3) manufacturability specific to
25 m, 50 m, 75 m and 100 m
above ground level or sea level;
The geodatabase can be
downloaded as Excel
tables, but is also
available as WMS (web
map server) for use in
geographical size by
professional users.
Interactive Wind Atlas
with which the user can
interactively identify
the information, and is
able to measure
distances, make custom
prints and choose and
download various Atlas
tables.
The Wind Atlas can
provide an immediate
indication of the main
technical and economic
data related to a wind
7
10
MF
Environmental
Atlas of
Belgrade Vol.
B: Land Use,
Geology and
Hydrology,
Renevable
Energy
Belgrade,
Serbia
Directly: solar and
wind. Indirectly:
geothermal and
biomass.
Record of the existing data and
documentation from many sources of
information with the overall aim of
producing environmental maps fro
Belgrade. The created maps are divided
into nine groups: (1) territory of
Belgrade, (2) morphogenetic map of
broader territory of Belgrade, (3)
geological map of the area of Master
plan of Belgrade, (4) engineering
geological map of the area of Master
plan of Belgrade, (5) hydrogeological
map of the area of Master plan of
Belgrade, (6) level of underground
waters of Belgrade, (7) topoclimatic
zones and mean annual wind roses, (8)
energy potential of solar radiation and
(9) wind energy potential at height of
100 m.
(4) shape parameter k of the
Weibull distribution and (5)
distance from the cab of the
nearest node / station power.
turbine, determined by
standard simplified
methods.
A. For solar resource: (1) solar
radiation on the horizontal
surface (kWh/m2/day) and
(2) mean duration of solar
irradiation.
B. For wind resource: (1)
Isolines with the same wind
energy density kWh/m2/day
and (2) zones of increased
energy.
C. For geothermal resource: (1)
composition and
hydrogeological function of
rock masses, (2) mineral
springs, (3) Renney wells, (4)
springs, (5) sources and
potential water-supply
sources, (6) general
direction of ground water
movement, (7) dug wells in
alluvial environment, (8) dug
wells in loessoid
environment, (9) dug wells
in loess, (10) dug wells in
Certain maps can be
downloaded from the
website.
8
11
KSSENA
T-jam
Panonian
basin, northeast part of
Slovenia
Geothermal
(1) Cartographic, (2) thermal water use,
(3) thermal water utilization, (4) thermal
boreholes exploitation and (5) topology.
12
TESAF
Atlasole
Italy
Solar (Photovoltaic
plants)
Data contained in the list of working
plants that have received or have
requested the incentives for Conto
Energia (feed-in tariff).
13
TESAF
Repowermap
Italy
Geothermal, solar,
biomass, biogas,
water, wind and
sea.
Voluntary (by the owner or producer)
insertion of data on installations and
plants.
Neogene sediments, (11)
drilled wells and (12) level of
underground water.
D. For biomass resources:
agricultural and green areas
distribution.
Based on geological,
hydrogeological, and
geothermal models and joint
database: (1) the cross-border
thermal water flow is
determined, (2) a potential
transboundary groundwater
body (thermal water aquifer) is
delineated, (3) current
utilization schemes are
summarized and (4) pilot
installation of a heat pump is
presented.
Photovoltaic plants per
municipality grouped according
to power classes (1-3 kW, 3-20
kW, 20-200 kW, 200-1000 kW,
1000-5000 kW, >5000 kW)
Technical data on installations
and plants (installed capacity,
annual energy production,
construction year).
The GISmap or the pdf
of it together with
other data is available
from the ‘results’ and
‘current’ webpage of
the project.
Available WebGIS (by
ESRI).
Available interactive
map (with google
maps).
9
14
TESAF
Probiogas
Veneto region
Biomass and biogas
Information on the availability of
Database and maps on the type,
biomass, in particular that useful for
quantity and land surface of
biogas production. This data was derived
available and potential biomass,
from ISTAT (Italian National Institute of
in particular for the production
Statistics), AVEPA (Agency for payments
of biogas. Database and map on
in agriculture for the Veneto region),
biogas plants.
zootecnical registry, a specific ministerial
decree (DM 07/04/2006) and a decree
of the regional government (DGR
Maps of the different
types of biomass
resources (subgroups
are given in %) in which
the quantitative data is
represented for each
municipality. A map
with working plants
divided for type and
their installed potential.
Related quantitative
data is also available.
07/08/2007), ARPAV (Regional Agency
for Environmental Protection for the
Veneto region) and from interviews.
Data on the working biogas plants
15
TESAF
Geothermic
Low Enthalpy
Viewer
Italy (Rome,
Milan, Naples,
Palermo)
Geothermal
16
TESAF
BioEnerGIS
Lombardy,
Northern
Ireland,
Slovenia,
Wallonia
Biomass
derives from a bibliographic review.
Digital terrain model (20m), coloured
orthophoto (year 2006), maps with
geological data (scale 1:25,000 and
1:100,000).
Bibliographic data on all regional
projects regarding the use of lowenthalpy geothermal resources.
Data from geological and
geothecnical surveys for the
case studies (linear thermal
output, thermal capacity,
thermal conductivity, specific
heat, natural humidity and
weight in volume).
Maps and data;
however detailed
information only from
surveyed locations.
Collection of data and georeferenced
Biomass offer with values of
information on the presence of different
mass and energy: divided for
WebGIS, maps and data
available.
biomass sources and biomass
combustion (rye straw, oats
installations.
straw, wheat straw, barley
straw, maize straw, rice straw,
10
triticale straw, grass straw,
maize grain/corn, grape
prunings, oak, spruce, pine,
arch/log, birch, beech, bark,
willow, mixed wood cheaps,
wood hardwood, wood
softwood, poplar, particle
board, general wastewood,
urban wastewood, waste paper,
paper, cardboard) and
anaerobic digestion (sugar beat
pulp, cattle manure, cattle
slurry, chicken manure, pig
manure, march wine, oil press
cake, by-products from
beverage production, waste
water from sugar production,
molasses, dairy products, whey,
by-products baking industry,
tomato press cake, potato skin,
dairy waste water, waste water
from beverage production,
slaughtering waste, rumen
content, flotation sludge,
vegetable solid waste, green
11
waste, blood, gut/intestines,
catering waste) and heat
demand (residential, industrial
and tertiary). It is possible to run
the system the feasibility and
potential size of a biomass plant
in a determined area.
12
Table with web-links of the different GIS application and dataset with information on the data made available that may be used in the GeoSEE
project.
Table 2: Links to the GIS application and datasets.
Name
Biothopica
Transenergy
Data available in digital maps and web databases
Home page.
WebGIS containing information on: wells, springs, idrogeology,
temperature and isotherm at 1000, 2000 and 3000 m depth, heat and isoheat flow.
Home page.
WebGIS contains some information on: geothermal utilization, reservoirs
and potential.
Databases on geothermal energy users and utilization parameters and on
the authorities involved in the management of such energy source.
Map of changes in exploitation of geothermal aquifers.
Map of the main geothermal aquifers.
Map of thermal boreholes exploitation characteristics.
Map of thermal waste water management.
Map of water users and their activity.
Links
http://geothopica.igg.cnr.it/index.php?lang=en
http://vmigg.iit.cnr.it/wm_geothopica/map.phtml?winsize=large&language=en
&config=en.
http://transenergy-eu.geologie.ac.at/index.html
http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=f82fe0f7371742
19a354f4209ea7448a&extent=12.1518,45.3238,20.2487,49.1158
see mapserver for details
http://gisgba.geologie.ac.at/ArcGIS/rest/services/projekte_transenergy/transen
ergy_en/MapServer.
http://akvamarin.geo-zs.si/users/
http://akvamarin.geo-zs.si/authorities/
http://transenergyeu.geologie.ac.at/Downloads/utilization_maps/Changes%20in%20exploitation%
20of%20geothermal%20aquifers%20map.jpg
http://transenergyeu.geologie.ac.at/Downloads/utilization_maps/Main%20geothermal%20aquifer
s%20(captured%20with%20more%20than%2010%20boreholes).jpg
http://transenergyeu.geologie.ac.at/Downloads/utilization_maps/Thermal%20boreholes%20explo
itation%20characteristics%20map.jpg
http://transenergyeu.geologie.ac.at/Downloads/utilization_maps/Thermal%20waste%20water%2
0management%20map.jpg
http://transenergyeu.geologie.ac.at/Downloads/utilization_maps/Thermal%20water%20users%20
and%20their%20activity%20map.jpg
13
Map of thermal water utilization and maximum outflow temperature.
Portalul de date
geofizice al
Institutului
Geologic al
Romaniei
Register of
projects and
facilities for
usage of RESs,
CHP and
preferential
producers
Geothermal parameters: (1) geothermic flux and (2) geoisotherms at 3000
m.
Interactive map with basic information (e.g., electrical and thermal
capacity) on planned and working installations (geothermal, solar, hydro,
wind, biomass, biogas, liquid bio-fuel, landfill gas, and wastewater
treatment).
Review of the projects contained by register
Graphical review
Photovoltaic
Geographical
Information
System (PV GIS)
Interactive Maps
Atlante Nazionale
Biomasse ENEA
WebGIS: performance of Grid-connected PV (e.g., electric generation), (2)
monthly irradiation data, (3) average daily solar irradiance and (4) stand
alone PV estimation.
Solar radiation and photovoltaic electricity potential country and regional
maps for Europe (pdfs and pngs).
Solar radiation data (asci files)
General information on datasets used and on WebGIS
WebGIS (data given at province scale) on annual biomass potentially
available for: (1) agricultural biomass (straw, prunings, rice husks, fruit
shells, husks and skins), (2) forest biomass (wood hardwood, softwood,
arboriculture), (3) energy crops (sorghum, miscanthus, cardoon, panic,
arundo), (4) pig farms biogas, (5) cattle farms biogas, (6) biogas from
http://transenergyeu.geologie.ac.at/Downloads/utilization_maps/Thermal%20water%20utilization
%20and%20maximum%20outflow%20temperature%20map.jpg
http://37.128.225.60/geofizica-v1/
http://oie-aplikacije.mingo.hr/InteraktivnaKarta/
http://oieaplikacije.mingo.hr/pregledi/PopupIzvjestaj.aspx?ReportId=5b47346e-67aa4df2-9603fa83c47061e3#P041e6cc9b9f840b5a0bd2b04f2691f05_2_173iT1R0x0
http://oieaplikacije.mingo.hr/pregledi/PopupIzvjestaj.aspx?ReportId=17ed7352-2f8d416b-b2fb-cec912e96428
http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/apps4/pvest.php#
http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/cmaps/eur.htm
http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/download/solar_radiation_classic_laea_downl
oad.html
http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/info/faq.htm
http://www.atlantebiomasse.enea.it/
14
biowaste (organic fraction of municipal solid waste) and (7) biogas from
abattoir waste.
Quantitative data (dataset) and excel file.
Interactive Wind
Atlas
Environmental
Atlas of Belgrade
Vol. B
T-JAM
Atlasole
Repormap
Probiogas
The data made available is: (1) Digital Terrain Model (topography); (2) wind
speed at 25 m, 50 m, 75 m and 100 m above ground level or sea level; (3)
manufacturability specific to 25 m, 50 m, 75 m and 100 m above ground
level or sea level; (4) shape parameter k of the Weibull distribution and (5)
distance from the cab of the nearest power node/station.
Home page.
Maps contain information on: (1) composition and hydrogeological function
of rock masses, (2) mineral springs, (3) Renney wells, (4) springs, (5) sources
and potential water-supply sources, (6) general direction of ground water
movement, (7) dug wells in alluvial environment, (8) dug wells in loessoid
environment, (9) dug wells in loess, (10) dug wells in Neogene sediments,
(11) drilled wells and (12) level of underground water.
The map contains information on: (1) solar radiation on the horizontal
surface (kWh/m2/day) and (2) mean duration of solar irradiation.
The map contains information on biomass-green areas and agricultural land
distribution.
The Map contains information on: (1) Isolines with the same wind energy
density kWh/m2/day and (2) zones of increased energy.
Home page.
WebGIS borehole database.
WebGis with basic geological infromation.
Photovoltaic plants per municipality.
Location and main characteristics of renewable energy plants and
installations.
Home page.
Maps on potential biomass and biogas plants related to municipalities of
the Padova province (by clicking of pdf icons and selecting municipalities).
Dataset on potential biomass and biogas plants related to municipalities of
http://www.atlantebiomasse.enea.it/ and also from a pdf file regarding the
project.
http://atlanteeolico.rse-web.it/
http://www.zdravlje.org.rs/ekoatlas/indexeb.htm
http://www.zdravlje.org.rs/ekoatlas/volbe/12ev.gif
http://www.zdravlje.org.rs/ekoatlas/volbe/13ev.gif
http://www.zdravlje.org.rs/ekoatlas/volbe/14ev.gif
http://www.zdravlje.org.rs/ekoatlas/volbe/15ev.gif
http://www.zdravlje.org.rs/ekoatlas/volbe/22ev.gif
http://www.zdravlje.org.rs/ekoatlas/volbe/05ev.gif
http://www.zdravlje.org.rs/ekoatlas/volbe/23ev.gif
http://en.t-jam.eu
http://akvamarin.geo-zs.si/t-jam_boreholes/
http://mafi-loczy.mafi.hu/tjam/
http://atlasole.gse.it/atlasole/
http://www.repowermap.org/
http://probiogas.venetoagricoltura.org/
http://probiogas.venetoagricoltura.org/provincia.php?prov=PD&provincia=PAD
OVA
http://probiogas.venetoagricoltura.org/provincia.php?prov=PD&provincia=PAD
15
Geothermic Low
Enthalpy Viewer
BioEnerGIS
the Padova province (by clicking of pdf icons and selecting municipalities).
Digital terrain model (20m), coloured orthophoto (year 2006), maps with
geological data (scale 1:25,000 and 1:100,000). An URL list is given.
ArcGIS viewer with the abovementioned data and data from geological and
geothechnical surveys.
Home page.
Dataset on biomass characteristics, regulations and technologies.
Maps on potential biomass.
WebGIS BIOPOLE with data on biomass offer (mass and energy) and heat
demand.
OVA
http://litologia-geotermia.enea.it/ in GIS Services
http://litologia-geotermia.enea.it/GeothermENEA/
http://www.bioenergis.eu/
http://www.bioenergis.eu/Documents/DocDownload_Project.aspx (you need
to create an account)
http://www.bioenergis.eu/portals/0/pdf/D3_biomass_assessment_dB_maps.p
df
http://test.terraria.com/biopole/index.seam?cid=266
No web-link is available for data highlighted by the partner REAP.
16
3
Examples
In this chapter information for some examples of GIS applications available online is given at a
further detail.
Usually GIS applications and databases containing information on a range of RESs only consider
the location and characteristics of plants and installations. An example is the ‘Register of projects
and facilities for usage of RESs, CHP and preferential producers’ for the Croatian territory. In Figure
1 an example of the WebGIS view is given.
Figure 1: Screenshot of the Register of projects and facilities for usage of RESs, CHP and preferential producers WebGIS.
The interface is in Croatian and English. The positive aspect of containing information on more
than one RES is negatively counterbalanced by the lack of information on the availability of the
resources. Data and location has been extracted by the register containing basic information on all
RESs plants (planned, meaning those that are in the process of acquiring the status of preferential
producer, or working). projects also including planned plants and installations. The overall goal of
this application is to give an overview summary of all the projects.
17
Few GIS applications have been created dealing with geothermal energy sources. Examples at the
national level regard Italy, Slovenia and Romania.
The GeoThopica project uses data from Italy that has been gathered from existing databases and
maps dealing directly or indirectly with geothermal resources. These specifically are: (1) the
inventory of the Italian Geothermal Resources (1986), (2) “Groundwater – Inventory of data
collected by AGIP during the research on hydrocarbons in Italy between 1971 and 1990”, (3)
“Underground temperatures – Inventory of data collected by AGIP during the research and the
production of hydrocarbons in Italy – 1977”, (4) “Update of underground temperatures – Ground
wells – December 1986, AGIP”, (5) data published from the Ministry of Economic Development
(UNMIG) and (6) Hydrogeological compounds of Italy – from the Atlas of water resources of the
European Community (J. Mouton et al.).
The created database, supported by GIS, contains (1) the surface stratigraphic data, (2) the
characteristics of hot springs, gas and events with relevant data of geothermal wells, (3) the
isotherms at 1000, 2000 and 3000 m from ground level, (4) the heat flow to the surface and (5) the
positions of aquifers. In Figure 2 an example of the WebGIS view is given.
18
Figure 2: Screenshot of the Geothopica WebGIS.
The WebGIS currently allows you to work up to scale 1:950,000. A pop-up window, containing key
information registries, appears when clicking on the chosen spring or well. Thematic maps related
to the databases can be selected from the TOC. The coordinates are expressed in decimal degrees
and projected using the WGS84 reference system. This portal is a useful tool for those projects
that are carrying out research on geothermal energy and CO2 storage. However, the access to data
through the WebGIS is in progress and it will be expanded in the future as some data is private and
not accessible.
Another relevant example is given by PVGIS for solar energy and PV installations. This application
has been developed for all the European countries. The website, thus the related WebGIS, maps
and databases are maintained up to date by the European Commission with the general aim at
enhancing public access to information about its initiatives and European Union policies. The
database of solar radiation was created from climatologic data homogenized for Europe and
19
available in the European Solar Radiation Atlas using GRASS GIS modules, for example, r.sun
(details on the methodology are available at
http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/solres/solrespvgis.htm and
http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/solres/solres.htm). The web interface consists of four parts: (1)
solar irradiation data, (2) solar irradiance data, (3) solar electricity and (4) PV per regions. The web
applications have been written almost exclusively using server-side scripting using PHP, with a few
supporting programs written in C/C++. Furthermore, maps for single countries are also available
(downloadable). An example of the view of the related WebGIS is given in figure 3.
Figure 3: Screenshot of the PVGIS WebGIS.
From the WebGIS it is possible to calculate values referring to potential PV energy generation after
selecting the main characteristics of the desired PV installation. Similarly computations can be
made for monthly radiation and daily radiation entering the aspect to take into account in the
calculation. Concerning PV potential energy, the method can be applied only on PV technologies
that do not depend strongly on the solar spectrum, and do not show effects of long term exposure
to irradiation or high temperatures. Therefore, at the moment PVGIS does not try to calculate the
output of amorphous silicon modules which are more dependent on these two effects.
20
4
Critical review
In this chapter a review of the information regarding only the geographic models highlighted by
the PPs for their national territories is carried out.
During the latest years attention towards RESs has led to the construction of many GIS
applications aiming at informing on different aspects of RESs availability, its potential, applications
and related technologies. However, it must be highlighted that even by taking into consideration
the entire national territory some states are lacking available geographic models for one or more
RESs
4.1 Methodology
Information on the methodology, standard and protocols applied are usually scarce and patchy
thus incomplete (however, see PVGIS, Transenergy and BioEnerGIS) or simply straightforward and
general. Furthermore, this information is not always directly linked to the related interactive
maps, making it difficult to move from the webmap or spatially explicit datasets to the explanation
of the applied methodology.
The system architecture environment more commonly adopted are ArcGIS and Google Maps.
Usually the former is used when more complex datasets are entered in the WebGIS. Commonly
OGC interrogation protocols and specifically Web Map Service (WMS) standard are adopted and
used to share data (e.g., Transenergy, Atlante Nazionale Biomasse ENEA, Geothermic Low
Enthalpy Viewer, PVGIS). However, also other standards are used (e.g., WFS in transenergy).
Furthermore, the information more commonly found on the applied methods is that which is
considered at the basis of the development of databases and the practical application; hence, an
overview analysis of the state of art. These are generally reviews of the literature and of
completed or on-going projects, carried out previously or simultaneously to the collection of data
and maps from other databases and sources (for instance the Romanian Geoportal Geofizica
contains information from the geological atlases and maps together with data form geological
reports). The collected information is then normally directly inserted without any further analysis
or after simple elaborations (calculation of more specific parameters) in a geographical
environment through georeferentiation. Transenergy, PVGIS, T-JAM and BioEnerGIS are
knowledgeable for their in-depth explanations reporting information on interpolation methods,
21
applied models and harmonization of datasets that can be found in several specific guides and
manuals.
4.2 Graphic Display
When dealing with RESs one distinction must be made between those applications that consider
the presence and the use of the resource and those that consider the infrastructures related to
the use of RES.
The latest group usually presents only the location of the plant/installation and the related
characteristics. For example by clicking on top of the plant icon, which is displayed differently
according to the type of resource used, other information is viewed (e.g., commonly the installed
capacity is divided between thermal and electrical). Furthermore, the background map usually
gives information on administrative boundaries (e.g., province/county).
Instead the former group is more heterogeneous due to the type of data. Data on geothermal
resources usually represent the presence of wells and springs together (spatially punctual data)
with temperatures at different depths (spatially continuous data). Similarly, solar source is
represented by spatially continuous data (e.g., irradiation). On the contrary, available biomass
considering also that for biogas production, is usually represented with total values for a given
area (e.g., regions) and in some cases divided in quantitative classes (however see BIOPOLE where
pixel resolution is 500X500 m).
4.3 Geographical extension and scale of information
The geographical models analysed by the PPs usually refer to the entire national territory;
however, there are also examples considering larger (e.g., Europe or more countries together) and
smaller areas (e.g., region). Even though it is not an axiom, generally, lower scales of
representation should be more precise. For example, Geothopica enables to scale up only to
1:950,000 thus, this could be considered as a limitation not enabling local precision.
To a certain degree, a related issue highlighted by some projects is the need of combining datasets
and maps with different scales of precision (e.g., the Romanian Geoportal Geofizica uses maps
with scales from 1:200,000 to 1:50,000).
22
4.4 General considerations
The review highlighted the lack and thus, the need of combining information of available and
potential RESs within one geographical portal. Another relevant aspect is the small number of
examples found by the PPs.
The process of creating such a tool (WebGIS) should be extensively explained in order to inform
the users on the strengths and weaknesses of the applied methodology and to enable its
replication. However, a schematic summary will be important to enable a quick identification of
the methodology applied and of the protocols and standards adopted. Furthermore, attention
shall also focus on the basic assumptions and methods of data harmonization and joining datasets.
This largely depends on the type of data available and the specific aims. Finally, this type of
transparency will decrease the risk of confusion as different information will be available for
several RESs.
23