Space4Energy: The added value of space solutions for the energy industry

With international guest experts from the space industry, application areas in the energy sector were identified that could already benefit from satellite data and services tomorrow.

As part of Space4Energy, Green Energy Lab and the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) have started a dialogue in the Innovator Circle to find out where and how satellite data and services create significant added value for the energy sector. Subsequently, challenges for the Space4Energy Hackathon will be developed from these application areas and concrete use cases. The hackathon will ultimately bring space solutions for the energy sector to the ground.

The rapid development of the space sector as a driver for the energy transition

Christian Fuchs from Austria in Space, an initiative of the BMK, briefly and succinctly explained the opportunity presented to us:

"In 2021, as many satellites will have been launched worldwide as in all the years since the dawn of the space age in 1957 combined."

Christian Fuchs, BMK

The EU is investing 15 billion euros in the European space infrastructure in the current financial framework (2021-2027). This is a rapid development in which Austria wants to position its space sector at the forefront in Europe and also globally. This is underlined by the Austrian Space Strategy 2030+: the use of satellite data and services strengthens the competitive capabilities of all sectors, including the energy sector.

Thanks to the "full, free and open" data policy, most satellite data and services are also available free of charge and can be tailored to one's own use case as desired - an opportunity that should be seized quickly.

What satellite data for the energy sector?

Samuel Almond, Earth observation expert and responsible for the Copernicus Climate Change Service satellite service, provided an overview of the use of satellite data for the energy sector. Data from weather stations on Earth and Copernicus satellites are linked to fill the gaps in global weather models and climate projections. Solar irradiance, temporary shading, wind speeds, surface assessments, precipitation, soil moisture and temperature were mentioned as examples. For the energy sector, this will enable, among other things, forecasts of electricity demand and generation that go beyond statistical surveys. Today, energy suppliers already benefit from satellite-based early warning systems that allow them to plan far more precisely and efficiently.

This information, coupled with the abundance of imagery - satellites have a high temporal and, for special cases, tenths of a centimetre resolution - also opens up completely new possibilities for monitoring energy infrastructure as well as potential analysis and site planning for renewable energy. For example, satellite data makes it possible to monitor biomass growth, which facilitates the potential assessment of the use of biomass as an energy source. The monitoring and remote maintenance of power grids also represents a significant advantage. The question is always, with which already existing processes and data can satellite data be combined to bring about a significant improvement in the energy sector? You can find the presentation here.

Using space innovation to create business models for integrated energy systems

Space4Energy is also already an issue at the European level: the European Space Agency (ESA) has ensured that space data and services are integrated into services on the market by creating a Business Application Programme. The aim is to develop concrete use cases with added value for grid operators, energy suppliers, decision-makers and the end users. Davide Coppola, Project Manager and Business Developer at ESA Business Applications, underlined the importance of engaging with stakeholders on both sides - energy and space - to develop tailored solutions.

In the MOWGLI project, for example, the integration of satellite data and services has enabled significant optimisations in the planning process and in the design, operation and maintenance of microgrids. From deciding the ideal location for the necessary infrastructure to automated payment services, the motto here is: "Satellite data is not the solution, but an ideal part of the solution."

This leitmotif is also demonstrated in the SP4GO project, where satellite data has been integrated to improve smart grid applications. In this way, the impact of newly integrated sustainable energy solutions, such as decentralised PV modules to storage and charging stations for e-mobility, can be more accurately predicted and managed. Environmental risks (esp. lightning strikes, ice formation and tree cover) and maintenance costs are thus minimised.

With these examples, Mr Coppola showed how the energy sector is already deriving added value from satellite data and services through its involvement in ESA projects. The presentation including links to the projects can be found here.

Creating business models for integrated energy systems with space innovation

How to integrate satellite data and services into energy-relevant processes?

"It only becomes really powerful when you combine satellite data with other data and technologies," says Andreas Salentinig, CEO of Ubicube and winner of the Space4Mobility Hackathon organised by BMK in 2020. The startup founder was able to use his experience and first-hand know-how to explain how satellite data can be used to develop new, significantly improved services to integrate into existing processes.

To do this, the Ubicube team used its expertise in geoinformatics, earth observation, software architecture and machine learning to significantly improve and develop viadonau's processes. The team identified relevant, existing data packages and combined them with satellite data to form so-called "geodata-cubes", with the aim of closing the data gaps in existing processes with high-quality data material. This not only resulted in resource optimisations as a clear added value, but also in a much better data basis for compensation payments to owners of flooded areas in the field of flood protection.

Ubicube has since evolved and is applying its approach in further use cases. In the field of urban development and building monitoring, Andreas Salentinig can well imagine applications in the energy sector within the framework of Space4Energy. Here, demographic as well as economic data for urban development can contribute just as much as the monitoring of buildings, e.g. through the connection of Google Streetview and thermal maps, which could give an indication of the energy index - also at neighbourhood level. You can find the presentation here.

The data for this already exists, from freely available data from Copernicus to data from other providers with pin-sharp, centimetre-level resolution. The example of Ubicube shows that the expertise for integrating this data already exists in the Austrian space sector. It is now up to the energy sector to make use of it. For this, we at Space4Energy provide space for dialogue.

What applications for the energy sector?

Together with more than 50 experts from the energy sector and the space industry, ideas were collected in targeted ideation sessions to identify further fields of application for satellite data and services.

As a company, it pays to find out which data are relevant for your processes, products and applications. As earth observation expert Samuel Almond reported, there are numerous potential applications here. These can be in conjunction with topographic data, GIS data, data on CO2 emissions, economic and demographic data, thermal maps or energy infrastructure data - e.g. sewer data when using waste water.

So-called "low hanging fruits" have been identified as a special focus for the planned Space4Energy Hackathon, in particular process optimisations, cost optimisations, efficiency increases and automations. Here, it is important to use the hackathon as a "fast track" for the integration of satellite data and services.

Particularly noteworthy are processes that rely on data, especially imagery, captured by drones or from aircraft. By combining this material with satellite imagery, potential for rooftop PV and biomass applications, for example, can be identified in an automated and, above all, more cost-effective manner.

There is also promising potential for the integration of satellite data in energy space planning. One interesting application is to link energy density distribution with energy demand more precisely. To advance the integration of new heat sources, be it residual heat from exhaust air or wastewater, accurate matching with heat demand is necessary. The remote sensing of heat islands has also been classified as highly relevant by experts several times.

Monitoring the achievement of climate targets on several levels was revealed as another potential application area for space solutions. Companies, municipalities and cities are increasingly under pressure to contribute to and report on climate targets at EU and national level. Satellite data and services could fill information gaps here.

Bring your applications to the Space4Energy Hackathon!

The dialogue around Space4Energy makes it clear which application areas are highly relevant for the rapid integration of satellite data and services. Whether monitoring energy networks, forecasting power generation and consumption or site planning: space data can add value in many areas. The Space4Energy Hackathon aims to contribute to significantly improving data-driven processes in the energy sector with the help of space solutions.

As part of the Space4Energy Hackathon, Green Energy Lab is calling on you to submit problems to us whose processes are to be optimised. On the other hand, the hackathon also calls on innovative tech companies to contribute to optimising these processes in the energy sector through their services.

In the words of viadonau: "The hackathon is the ideal opportunity to test the potential of the latest earth observation services for integration into our modernisation course."

Seize this opportunity and bring in your use case via the challenge sheet. Together with BMK experts, your use case will be developed into an attractive challenge.