NASA's Newest Wind Watcher Arrives at Launch Site | NASA

[Alex Brown]

Wind, an indirect form of solar energy, is one of the largest renewable
energy sources available, and wind offers much higher wind energy at the
surface offshore and over open ocean than on land. Accurate measurement
of wind speed and direction is essential to planning and esp. financing
offshore wind farms.

http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/may/nasas-newest-wind-watcher-arrives-at-launch-site/
"ISS-RapidScat is NASA's first scientific Earth-observing instrument
specifically designed and developed to operate from the exterior of the
space station. It will measure near-surface ocean wind speed and
direction in Earth’s low and middle latitudes during its two-year
mission. Its data will be used to support weather and marine
forecasting, including tracking storms and hurricanes, as well as
climate studies."