What's new in Transect? New features, dataset updates and more!
November 2024
New Features
Contact your Customer Success Manager if you’re interested in learning more!
- Stay informed of any key data changes affecting your projects with Risk Monitor.
- Looking to evaluate community sentiment for wind projects? We’ve got you covered with Wind Pulse, our newest product that analyzes thousands of news articles, moratoriums, and ordinances to help you avoid community opposition.
- In addition, both Solar and Wind Pulse now identify key stakeholders, highlight primary opposition reasons, and provide details about projects that faced particularly strong opposition.
Updates and Enhancements
- We upgraded the Map ruler to include more measurement types. You can now measure in miles, feet, or meters!
- The Map Layer Manager was enhanced so you can easily adjust the sort order of your map layers and their categories. In your in-map layer modal, click Add/Edit Layers in the bottom-left, then drag and drop your layer or category to the preferred location, and click Save.
- When using the Parcel Filter, you can now select individual parcels in the ‘View Parcels/Landowners’ modal to be routed to that parcel in the map.
- You can now easily create a view-only shareable link for your Reports by selecting Copy Link within the Share modal.
- We launched a self-service free trial to make it easier for people to experience the value of our platform. Feel free to invite anyone you think might benefit from Transect, such as developers, consultants, or EPCs you work with. This may lead to stronger collaboration with your partners!
Dataset Updates
- The Potomac Edison (MD), Baltimore Gas & Electric (MD), Dominion Energy (VA) and Rockland Electric Co. (NY) utilities have been added to Distribution Lines.
- The New York Freshwater Wetlands dataset has been updated, and now also includes a State Regulated Freshwater Wetlands Adjacent Area.
- A New York Cultural Resources Layer has been added to the Map and Report Map.
- The National Risk Index Annualized Frequency Hail layer has been added to the Map.
Bug Fixes
- The parcels layer will now load successfully in reports.
- You will be notified if your PDF exports are ever unsuccessful.
- We fixed a backend issue preventing some reports from completing properly.
Now in Beta
Contact your Customer Success Manager if you’re interested in learning more!
- Site Comparison tool - easily compare potential project sites based on key criteria like acreage, buildable land, anticipated permits, and community sentiment.
October 2024
Updates and Enhancements
- The new Interconnection Substation Capacity layer quickly identifies substations with available capacity. Contact your Transect Customer Success Manager for more information!
- Users can now create multiple projects at once with Bulk Project Creation.
- The Initial Interconnection Feasibility Assessment is now available in the Marketplace, which helps users make informed decisions on whether to move a project forward.
- Notes can now be added to specific sections in your Transect Report, including the Executive Summary, Permit Matrix, or to a report sub-page–Click here to learn more!
Dataset Updates
- CAISO and MISO (North and Central) are now available in our Interconnection data and we’ll continue to add more ISOs.
- The Mitigation Bank Service Areas (FL) dataset was added to Transect.
- The Low-Income Community: Category 1 Eligibility dataset was updated (Doe.gov).
Bug Fixes
- The Parcel count in the Map flyout will now update when filters are applied.
- Users can now save Parcel Searches without errors.
- Projects can now be saved with custom names without reverting back to the default naming style, “Project 1.”
Coming Soon
Contact your Customer Success Manager if you’re interested in learning more about any of these features!
- Wind Pulse - Assess community sentiment toward wind development in seconds.
- Solar Pulse v2 - Identify key stakeholders mentioned in news articles, enhanced dataset for nearby projects, and much more.
- Risk Monitor - Get immediately updated on key data changes affecting your reports.
- Site Comparison Beta Feature - easily compare potential sites on key criteria like acreage, buildable land, anticipated permits, and community sentiment.
September 2024
Updates and Enhancements
- Contested solar projects are now available in Solar Pulse – click here to learn more.
- In case you missed it, a new master buildable area template is now available in reports, allowing users to reuse the same template for multiple projects.
- PDF exports will no longer include any unnecessary blank pages.
- Within the Buildable Area modal, Slope is now shown in numerical order.
- Interconnection data will now populate for the following project types: Renewable Energy Generation and Above-Ground.
- In the Executive Summary, you’ll now see data on roadway and waterway crossings when the project type is Utility Line > Above-Ground, Utility Line > Below-Ground, or Misc. > Linear Transportation.
- When selecting your username in the upper right-corner, you’ll now have an option for viewing Legal Agreements. This page will show a list of agreements relevant to you.
- We fixed an issue preventing reports from refreshing when the user left the report page.
Dataset Updates
- The following utilities were added to Distribution Lines - Eversource Connecticut, Avista Washington, Central Maine (1 - 3 phase lines), Pacific Gas & Electric.
- We’ve added the BLM Natl DRAFT Solar PEIS Alternative 3 layers to the Map under the BLM catalog group.
August 2024
Updates and Enhancements
- A new master buildable area template is now available in reports, allowing users to apply it to multiple projects.
- In case you missed it, we made our password requirements even more secure. If you haven’t updated your password already, click here to learn how to change your password.
- We made it easier to scroll through map layers on touch screens, such as phones and tablets.
- Ghost Waters now have their own page in the PDF.
- When updating your project type in a report, the Permit Matrix will automatically regenerate to include relevant permits.
- The issue causing large reports to fail has been fixed.
- Coordinate search results are now cleared automatically upon entering a new search.
- KML files can now be imported successfully even when optional fields are missing.
Dataset Updates
- The Energy Community: Coal Closure Census Tracts and Energy Community: MSA/Non-MSAs with Fossil Fuel Employment + High-Than-Average Unemployment datasets have been updated. (Doe.gov)
- The Electric Retail Service Territories layer’s color schema has been updated to more easily distinguish borders between territories.
July 2024
Updates and Enhancements
- In an effort to make your account even more secure, users will need to change their passwords by August 15th. Click here to learn how to change your password.
- We’ve decreased the loading time of reports to create a better user experience.
- We’ve also improved our custom buildable area exclusion layers functionality to speed up the uploading and managing of your buildable area in reports.
- Clicking on a search result now takes you directly to the center of the parcel on the map.
- The issue of right-clicking on the parcel layer not displaying the correct information has been fixed.
June 2024
Updates and Enhancements
- Solar Pulse data is now included in the shareable, view-only report. Click here to learn more.
- The Interconnection tab now has a "Nearby Projects" list that displays projects in the same county as your project area (ERCOT only).
- Within the Map, you can now filter out Distribution Lines based on capacity and voltage.
- The Map Layer Manager was updated to allow you to search by catalog group name.
- PDF and KML exports can now be deleted from the “Export” page.
- We’ve added attributes to the “Parcels” map layer. Access the additional information by right clicking on a parcel.
- Projects can now easily be shared from the Map.
Dataset Updates
- The Marine Mammals and Sea Turtle Exclusion Layer have been removed from the Federal Locations tab in reports.
May 2024
Now Available
- Solar Pulse - Assess community sentiment toward solar in seconds.
- Distribution Lines – Quickly identify sites that are close to available hosting capacity.
- Interconnection – Filter and locate sites that are projected to have capacity at a nearby substation.
Contact your Customer Success Manager to learn more about any of these new solutions!
Updates and Enhancements
- Solar Pulse data and scores are now available on reports for all renewable energy project sub-types (Wind, Mixed Use, Battery Storage, and Other).
- Aggregate, county-level Solar Pulse scores have been added to the Map’s popup modal, making it easier for you to find every county’s score.
- You now have the ability to remove Regulations and Recommendations from PDF reports that you do not think are applicable to your project.
- For linear projects, the transmission line card at the top of Executive Summary has been replaced with a card displaying the numbers of wetland/waterway crossings and road crossings. This will speed up the evaluation of your linear projects.
- When selecting “Mixed Use” as a project sub-type, you can now select two project categories from the following options: Wind, Solar, Battery Storage, or Other Renewable.
- You can now assign a status to projects in the Dashboard, allowing you to easily track your project portfolio.
April 2024
Now Available
- Solar Pulse - Assess community sentiment toward solar in seconds. Contact your Customer Success Manager to learn more!
- Linear Development Reporting - When evaluating a single linear route (pipeline or transmission line project, your report will now contain data about the locations & total length of intersecting features along your route.
Updates and Enhancements
- You can now search lat/long coordinates directly in the Map's search bar.
- Buildable area exports from reports will no longer include areas you have marked as hidden.
- Overridden permits in the Permit Matrix are now displayed in the list as struck through; allowing you to refer to those without opening the PDF report, and to undo changes if needed.
Dataset Updates
- The Railways dataset has been updated for reports and added to the Map as a layer (U.S. Rails - TIGER 2023).
- The Protected Areas Risk Map (CONUS), Waters Risk Map (CONUS), Species Risk Map (CONUS), and Environmental Compliance Risk Map (CONUS) were all added to highlight hotspots along your project's route. Whether the route has wetlands, federally managed areas, protected species, or anything in between, you can quickly find them and plan accordingly. You can easily add these layers by accessing the Map Layer Manager.