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NETWORK / 34 / MAY 2016 CLIMATE CHANGE DATA Ride out the storm Climate change will bring new and increasing challenges for network operators, but a new source of earth system data will help them thrive in adversity. A s the UK seeks to maintain a diverse energy mix, securing and prioritising investment to create the integrated, resilient grid we need for the future is essential. Climate change, pollution and severe weather can all undermine the assumptions that underpin policy and investor confidence. Faced with this, it is incumbent on the network industry to be ready. Targeting investment in smart solutions now is vital to long-term efficiency, sustainability and security of supply. Data could be a potent tool in fulfilling these ambitions – and Copernicus, the Euro- pean Commission's Earth Observation pro- gramme, can make that data accessible and applicable for energy network operators. The programme began in 2014 and has 4.3 billion euros of funding at its back out to 2020. It is using state-of-the art numerical models to harness the predictive power of millions of real-time readings and a century of archive data. By examining the behaviour of the Earth system (the complex interaction of processes which make up our environ- ment) the programme is forecasting atmos- pheric conditions, evaluating historical trends and in future will be able to monitor and predict climate change. The Copernicus system produces data on more than 20 climate variables, past, pre- sent and future. Proof of concept projects working with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) based in Reading – which operates the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and Climate Change Service (C3S) on behalf of the European Commission – are already working with this data to develop predictive tools with applications across the network sector; turning data into information. In time, it is envisioned that Copernicus data will enable seasonal predictions up to six months ahead and also customisable cli- mate projections for key sectors. Actionable insight for network operators The implications for network managers, government and investors are vast. Net- work infrastructure is designed to last for decades, making investment a tricky bal- ance between immediate need and long- term planning. Planning effectively not only involves social and economic considera- tions, such as the impact on communities Storm Jake hits the UK as pictured by Copernicus satellite Sentinel 3A. Over 6,000 homes were left without power in the UK and Ireland. Source: European Space Agency