About Us
RAM Associates is a meteorological consulting firm specializing in wind resource assessment and turbine micrositing. From long-term wind speed estimations to modeling of turbine wake array losses, RAM Associates have the knowledge and expertise to deliver reliable estimates in a timely manner.
RAM Associates was founded in 1989 and, since then, has been at the forefront of research and development in the wind resource assessment sector of the industry. With numerous publications and conference presentations, RAM Associates is considered to be one of the industry leaders and innovators in resource assessment and continually strives to further develop techniques and methodologies to advance the knowledge of the scientific community.
And speaking of innovation, RAM Associates has patented an empirical, terrain-based wind model, RAMWind for producing estimates of wind speeds at turbine sites on a wind farm and wind mapping. In direct comparisons, it has proven to be more accurate than commonly used models, such as the “industry standard” WAsP, MS Micro3, WindSim and Meteodyn. RAMWind has been used to normalize terrain effects in two turbine wake validation studies. We know of no other wind model, WAsP, CFD or otherwise, that is capable of performing that critical part of a wake model validation. Among the wake models validated in those studies is our own RAMWake model. RAMWind has recently been used in turbine performance analysis at operating wind farms. See our Publications page to download copies of presentations and reports related to these and other topics.
At RAM Associates, we are committed to providing services that will help developers create the most efficient and optimal wind farms possible and in conducting research that will further the understanding of the wind and improve the accuracy and reduce uncertainty in wind farm energy estimates.
We also have extensive experience representing our clients in discussions with banker's engineers.
Who we are
RAM Associates is a meteorological consulting firm specializing in wind resource assessment and turbine micrositing. From long-term wind speed estimations to modeling of turbine wake array losses, RAM Associates have the knowledge and expertise to deliver reliable estimates in a timely manner.
RAM Associates was founded in 1989 and, since then, has been at the forefront of research and development in the wind resource assessment sector of the industry. With numerous publications and conference presentations, RAM Associates is considered to be one of the industry leaders and innovators in resource assessment and continually strives to further develop techniques and methodologies to advance the knowledge of the scientific community.
And speaking of innovation, RAM Associates has patented an empirical, terrain-based wind model, RAMWind for producing estimates of wind speeds at turbine sites on a wind farm and wind mapping. In direct comparisons, it has proven to be more accurate than commonly used models, such as the “industry standard” WAsP, MS Micro3, WindSim and Meteodyn. RAMWind has been used to normalize terrain effects in two turbine wake validation studies. We know of no other wind model, WAsP, CFD or otherwise, that is capable of performing that critical part of a wake model validation. Among the wake models validated in those studies is our own RAMWake model. RAMWind has recently been used in turbine performance analysis at operating wind farms. See our Publications page to download copies of presentations and reports related to these and other topics.
At RAM Associates, we are committed to providing services that will help developers create the most efficient and optimal wind farms possible and in conducting research that will further the understanding of the wind and improve the accuracy and reduce uncertainty in wind farm energy estimates.
We also have extensive experience representing our clients in discussions with banker's engineers.
Who we are
Jack Kline
The company is headed by Jack Kline, Consulting Meteorologist, who has a BS in meteorology (Florida State University), an MS in atmospheric sciences (Georgia Tech) and is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist (AMS #535). Jack has been working in the wind energy industry since 1982, first as meteorologist at US Windpower (later Kenetech) in 1982 and then at Howden Wind Parks in 1986. He has been consulting since 1989 and has made numerous presentations at industry conferences and workshops. His major contributions to the wind industry include: the development of the patented RAMWind model; independent development of the RAMWake model, which has been validated in two separate wake model validation studies; he was the first to identify and report to NRG Systems the problem with NRG#40 anemometers that was later labeled “dry friction whip”, which affected thousands of anemometers and the projects that used them; he investigated and identified anemometer mounting configurations on tubular towers that produced significant errors in measured wind speed, which brought about a major change in how towers are now configured; he was the first to consider, run tests and report on the effects of atmospheric stability on wake losses at wind farms.
Contact Jack by phone at +1-925-240-7855 or by email jack@ramwind.com
The company is headed by Jack Kline, Consulting Meteorologist, who has a BS in meteorology (Florida State University), an MS in atmospheric sciences (Georgia Tech) and is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist (AMS #535). Jack has been working in the wind energy industry since 1982, first as meteorologist at US Windpower (later Kenetech) in 1982 and then at Howden Wind Parks in 1986. He has been consulting since 1989 and has made numerous presentations at industry conferences and workshops. His major contributions to the wind industry include: the development of the patented RAMWind model; independent development of the RAMWake model, which has been validated in two separate wake model validation studies; he was the first to identify and report to NRG Systems the problem with NRG#40 anemometers that was later labeled “dry friction whip”, which affected thousands of anemometers and the projects that used them; he investigated and identified anemometer mounting configurations on tubular towers that produced significant errors in measured wind speed, which brought about a major change in how towers are now configured; he was the first to consider, run tests and report on the effects of atmospheric stability on wake losses at wind farms.
Contact Jack by phone at +1-925-240-7855 or by email jack@ramwind.com
Zachary Kline
Zack Kline, Wind Engineer/Analyst, handles various data processing and analysis tasks, including basic research and project report preparation. He has been instrumental in testing new wind modeling techniques with RAMWind and wake loss comparisons in wake model validation work. He also runs openWind where that software may add benefit to a project analysis. Zack has a BS in Nuclear Engineering (University of California, Berkeley) and has worked at RAM since 2005.
Contact Zack by phone at +1-925-240-7855 or by email zack@ramwind.com
Zack Kline, Wind Engineer/Analyst, handles various data processing and analysis tasks, including basic research and project report preparation. He has been instrumental in testing new wind modeling techniques with RAMWind and wake loss comparisons in wake model validation work. He also runs openWind where that software may add benefit to a project analysis. Zack has a BS in Nuclear Engineering (University of California, Berkeley) and has worked at RAM since 2005.
Contact Zack by phone at +1-925-240-7855 or by email zack@ramwind.com
Where We Have Worked
RAM Associates has provided wind analysis and development support for project sites in most the United States, as well as many other countries in the Western Hemisphere.
RAM Associates has provided wind analysis and development support for project sites in most the United States, as well as many other countries in the Western Hemisphere.