Ten years ago Southern Company began
simultaneously re-licensing seven facilities and became one of the
first energy companies to use satellite imagery to meet these re-licensing
requirements as defined by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC). According to the FERC, over the next decade 220 hydropower
project licenses will expire. This group of projects has a combined
capacity of 22,000 megawatts, or 20 percent of the nation’s installed
hydropower capacity. Collectively, these hydropower re-licensing
decisions will reshape local communities, ecosystems and economies
across the country. Having access to IKONOS imagery for the past
three years has simplified the re-licensing process. Southern Company
can now view a larger area of not only specific land features, such
as reservoirs and boundaries, but also its surrounding properties.
Southern Company then submits the analyzed satellite imagery to
the FERC and state and local government agencies to demonstrate
that it is meeting regulatory requirements.
“Southern Company has been very innovative in its use of satellite
imagery to meet re-licensing requirements for the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission,” said Steve Bedsole, president of GEDS. “Working
with Space Imaging, we can provide Southern Company with imagery
that can be used for multiple purposes thereby increasing the company’s
return on investment.”
“Southern Company was one of our early customers and this deal
represents a large sales and usage milestone for both companies,”
said Howard Klayman, director of Customer Service Operations at
Space Imaging. “Our IKONOS satellite imagery has provided Southern
Company with a vast amount of data that has enabled better assessment
and project planning. This is a prime example of how satellite imagery
is being utilized in the commercial industry to improve efficiencies
and save costs.”
About Geographical and Environmental Data Services
Geographical & Environmental Data Services, Inc.? (GEDS?), established
in 1996, is a small business with a global focus. It is headquartered
in the Greater Birmingham, Alabama, area with an additional sales
and support office in West Palm Beach, Florida. GEDS’ primary focus
is sales and support services in the fields of digital mapping,
imagery, LiDAR, remote sensing, environmental classification, and
GIS applications. GEDS also provides the latest technology for high-speed
data management and distribution of large raster and vector data
files. GEDS takes great pride in offering its clients a "Solutions
Toolbox" filled with diverse, high-quality tools that can be
used to address their specific needs. For more info visit their
website at: www.geds-inc.com
About Space Imaging
Space Imaging is the premier provider of satellite imagery enabling
businesses, governments and individuals to better map, measure,
monitor and manage the world in which we live. Based near Denver,
Colo., Space Imaging radically transformed the Earth information
market when in 1999 it launched IKONOS, the world's first commercial
high-resolution imaging satellite. Today, Space Imaging's products
are the cornerstone of the remote-sensing industry. The company
supplies the highest quality, most accurate, visual information
about the planet's changing natural and cultural features. Space
Imaging's customer-centric business lines include imagery from satellites
and aircraft, decision-support geospatial solutions, and direct
access to its satellites for corporations and governments. Space
Imaging is a privately held company with partners, resellers and
14 affiliate ground stations around the world. For more information
on products and services, please visit www.spaceimaging.com
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