[UNCLASSIFIED]RE: [postgis-users] Use of PostGIS for Renewable En ergy resourceanalysis, mapping, etc

[Antti.Roppola at brs.gov.au]

Hi Dana,

We have a bioenergy resources atlas that currently looks
at agricultural residues. We're thinking about extending it
to other renewable energy sources and putting it in PostGIS.
http://adl.brs.gov.au/mapserv/biomass/index.phtml
If you're interested, I'll dig up the project report for the
old site as it included a Decision Support System.

It'll be intersting to see where ESRI take ArcGIS. Have a look
at their new ArcGIS Server product, it makes the entire ArcGIS
object set available as Java or .net. It's not a huge stretch
to add Python bindings to that. I'm hoping that this'll prompt
the development of an ecosystem of analystical GIS objects.

I spoke to some of ESRI's developers, and they are expecting to
extend the Python in ArcGIS, but it'll take a while. I'd love to
be able to do cartography templates in it.

We've done some analysis in PostGIS, but ArcGIS (especially the
model building environment) is much more complete and shiny.

Virtual Linux hosting (Xen instances) are pretty easy to come by
and provide an ultimate level of control over the hosted environemnt.

Hope your project works out well. :o)

Cheers,

Antti

-----Original Message-----
From: postgis-users-bounces at postgis.refractions.net [mailto:postgis-users-bounces at postgis.refractions.net] On Behalf Of dnrg
Sent: Monday, 1 May 2006 2:06 AM
To: postgis postgis
Subject: [postgis-users] Use of PostGIS for Renewable Energy resourceanalysis, mapping, etc

Anyone here use PostGIS (and/or MapServer) for Renewable Energy analysis, map generation, etc?

I will be doing some pro-bono work for my alma mater this summer, serving up wind resource data (overlaid upon parcel data), to citizens of my state. Presently, the University must field phone calls, fire up ArcMap, search/pan to a citizen's parcel, muck with map layout, then mail a paper map. Time consuming and a waste of resources.

I realize a lot of this could be automated with ArcMap, but not to the extent that satifies me. I want to architect a self-service web app, extending it to microhydro and solar insolation later on.

The Uni has an ESRI site license, but:

1) That site license could expire, leaving an app built on a foundation that has disappeared

2) Affordable hosting options seem non-existent for ArcIMS - may be cheaper for them to purchase GIS web hosting (where PostGIS and MapServer are supported) than to purchase a new server up to the task.

3) I want to take the expertise I've been developing with Python (for geoprocessing in ArcCatalog) and apply it further. Not sure why, but ESRI seems only to minimally utilize the power of Python as a mere scripting language - when in reality it is a full blown OOP language that could probably be used to develop ArcObjects apps

4) The budget for this project is tiny; mostly a volunteer effort for the cause of enabling and promoting residential renewable energy adoption in our State. If I was talking about ArcSDE, and wanted to crack a joke here, I'd say "My favorite State is Zero..." - can't get much more obsurant than that (Versioning and states)

5) It's open source, thus more extensible

Cheers,

Dana


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