Case study:
Modelling site suitability for wind farms
Description
The aim of this case study is to provide
a detailed manual for a GIS-based case study to be used by Undergraduate
students and others. The title and subject matter of the study is; 'Modelling
Site Suitability for Wind Farms'. However the case study is by definition
generic and it is hoped that some of the methodological and project management
approaches used here could be just as easily applied in other GIS application
areas that have site identification as their primary aim.
The principal aim is to set students a
case study that tests and develops their skills within an applied GIS
environment. The objectives are for students to become familiar with project
management within a GIS and to develop their skills in the areas of data
collection, transfer, collation and analysis.
The focus of the case study is on an assessed
piece of work, which will account for a 100% coursework proportion of
a Level 2 Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Module taught at the
University of Brighton. The idea is to carry out a series of guided workshops
with students over an initial three week period which will introduce the
users to the context, aims and objectives of the case study in a linked
set of lectures and workshops. They will then be given a period of time
(four further weeks) to carry out the study and produce a final report
which will identify in any given geographical area, a number of potential
sites for wind farms using OS Digital Data and DETR Wind Speed Models
(See Fig. 1). Outputs will be in the form of maps, tables and diagrams.
Because students will be free to choose their own geographical area for
study (initially restricted to the South-East of England) there will be
a variety of different outcomes. Each however will be assessed against
the same set of criteria based on process, method, GIS knowledge and accuracy
of the final analysis.
The case study will combine topographic,
social and wind speed data and place it within a criteria-based decision-making
context. This process will serve as a useful model of best practice for
wider GIS-based modelling in students other work.
