K evin:

A friend of a friend is selling the product described below.  It looks like something in which your guys would be interested, but I wasn't sure to whom I should send it.  Michelle Parks suggested that I send it directly to you.  Please let me know if you want more information about the product or Saaty.

Jim Grace

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	"John Saaty" <jsaaty@aws.com>@ENRON  
Sent:	Monday, November 12, 2001 2:39 PM
To:	Grace Jr., James
Subject:	Real-time weather data


Jim,
 
Thanks for the help.
 
As I mentioned, AWS (originally Automated Weather Source) has more than 5500 weather stations deployed around the US.  This is the most dense real-time weather network in the country.  We gather data from all of these stations through the Internet, and can feed it out as live data streams.  We also have an 8-year historical repository of the data that was gathered as the network was built out.  As an example, in the Houstonarea we have 82 weather stations.  The National Weather Service has 6.  Each of our stations measures windspeed and direction, temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, light, and barometric pressure and 400 of our stations have digital cameras.  We can analyze 27 different weather parameters in real-time.  Check out www.aws.com
 
Our current products are consumer-oriented.  We sell our services to TV broadcast stations, i.e. KPRC in Houston.  We also wrap the data in advertising and offer it as the WeatherBug.  AWS' WeatherBugproduct is now the largest weather destination in the USas measured by Media Metrics.
 
We are now exploring how our data might be applied to the Energy industry.  Examples include offering real-time weather data to energy trading operations which shows in  real-time the deviation from forecast.  This can be at the national, regional, metropolitan or local levels.  You could watch a weather front move into a metropolitan area and see how it is shaping up as compared to the forecast to aid in energy purchases, bids, etc.  The data could be used with basis risk in derivative contracts.  It could also be used to forecast what a specific NWS station was going to forecast in the near future.  You may have more uses.  Most of our sites are located in and around metropolitan areas which is a positive for energy demand.  
 
We would like to talk with the folks running Enron's trading area to discuss if this data could be used and what products might be built for the industry.
 
Thanks and regards,
 
John Saaty
AWS
301-258-8390 x1622
jsaaty@aws.com