Tracking down the roots: Energy meteorology
In 1983, one of the earliest focuses in the emerging field of energy meteorology was on model-based gap filling of data. The goal was to provide large-scale, time-resolved information about wind and solar energy impacts.
Energy Laboratory at the University of Oldenburg
In March 1982, the “Energielabor” ("Energy Laboratory") was inaugurated at the University of Oldenburg. The building’s year-round energy self-sufficiency was ensured solely through photovoltaic modules, solar collectors, biogas, and a 25-meter-high wind turbine, which was unique at the time.
“The working group 'Physics of Renewable Energy Sources' led by Prof. Joachim Luther had previously calculated in simulations that this type of energy supply would work.”
The successful simulations allowed the team to concentrate on more fundamental questions: Could large-scale energy supply systems based on renewables be reliable and secure, even for an entire country?
Research advances and challenges
Initially, Oldenburg’s energy research focused on measuring and modeling individual components like energy converters and storage systems. However, it became clear that truly efficient renewable energy use would require high-resolution data for wind and solar energy, data conventional weather forecasts could not provide.
There was also a rising demand for methods and information to describe potential influences on fluctuating energy sources. To address these needs, the new research field of energy meteorology was established.
Summary
The field of energy meteorology emerged to develop accurate, high-resolution data and models critical for managing large-scale renewable energy systems reliably and securely.