EO4ER (“Earth Observation for Energy Risks”) has been selected by ESA in the context of the Destination Earth (DestinE) flagship initiative, to develop a Digital Twin Component prototype for the energy sector. EO4ER’s consortium is composed of IT and cutting-edge software development specialist OHB Digital Services, THU’s application-orientated Smart Grids Research Group and cloud estimation and forecasting expert Reuniwatt.
Reuniwatt, OHB Digital Services and Technische Hochschule Ulm (THU) to present their common EO4ER winning project during ESA’s next Open Science Meeting
Solar energy is the most abundant energy resource on the planet; the solar energy that strikes the Earth’s surface in one hour is approximately the same as the amount consumed by all human activities in one year. Photovoltaic (PV) systems thus form a leading source of renewable energy at the core of the energy transition.
However, climate change affects the performance of PV installations, particularly because of upcoming temperature increases and the multiplication of extreme weather events. Knowing what the quality and reliability of the future irradiance will be as well as determining the likelihood of extreme situations is crucial to analyse the performance and financial viability of solar projects.
To do so, and in line with ESA’s Digital Twin Earth Programme’s goals, EO4ER focuses on two use cases regarding solar energy systems:
Use Case 1 anticipates the impact of variable power production by PV systems on the active operation of low voltage networks using hour-scale solar power production forecasting based on the novel Earth Observation (EO) capabilities given by the MTG (Meteosat Third Generation, operational since 4th December 2024) satellite series.
Use Case 2 identifies operational risks for large PV plants due to extreme situations and the long-term solar potential assessment based on climate projection datasets and what-if-scenarios.
Advancing Renewable Energy Reliability: Insights from EO4ER
The targeted main stakeholders are represented by individual prosumers as well as infrastructure, grid and distribution system operators. For the validation of the developed methods, a field test area in Germany (covering more than 80 PV systems) is considered.
“We are extremely proud to be onboard this recognised Digital Twin Component project, along with our valuable partners OHB DS and THU. We know solar energy will be the key to a clean energy transition, and we need to make it as reliable as possible. This will be done thanks to efficient forecasts to massively and securely inject PV into electrical grids, in Europe and beyond”, said Nicolas Schmutz CEO and founder of Reuniwatt.
“As prime, we were looking for the best partners to set up a relevant Digital Twin concept; we have found them with EO4ER. This project shows our will to use our cloud-based software architecture skills to shape the future evolution of the use of EO in the context of Digital Twins in Europe”, commented Dr. Ingo Schoolmann, Project Manager AI & Data Analysis at OHB DS.
““Working with this team on a Digital Twin Energy Component will assist the transition towards 100% Renewable Electrification. Short term forecasting based on MTG data enables Distribution System Operators to ensure save operation of their networks at higher utilization due to Solar Photovoltaic feed-in. The high investments into renewable energy face the risks of climate change and need tools to manage these risks. EO4ER gives us the chance to test both Use Cases in the Smart Grid Lab at THU and in the field together with various stakeholders, a very satisfying opportunity!” concluded Prof. Gerd Heilscher, head of the Smart Grids Research Group at THU.
The consortium will gladly present their EO4ER project at the next ESA Digital Twin Earth Components: Open Science Meeting in Frascati, Italy, on 3-5 February 2025.
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