Harnessing the Elements: A Look at the Renewable Energy Sector

The global need to control climate change is continuing to drive unprecedented progress in the renewable energy sector. The industry is experiencing a period of rapid growth, highlighted by a growing number of new installations, exciting technological breakthroughs, and forward thinking government policy changes being made on a worldwide scale.

As renewable energy sources become more integrated into the grid, accurate, local and tailored weather data becomes increasingly critical to managing our power network. In our latest blog post, we will look at the latest developments driving this progress, and the central role that OpenWeather products play in optimising their performance, and managing the power networks that we so often take for granted.

Technological Advancements Powering Progress

The renewable energy sector is witnessing both the refinement of existing technologies and the emergence of exciting new solutions. Several key areas are experiencing significant development:

Solar Power:

Perovskite solar cells are steadily approaching commercialization. Ongoing research is focused on improving their durability and efficiency, as well as scaling up their manufacturing processes. These cells are often made from a hybrid organic-inorganic halide to absorb sunlight, and have a lower production cost than conventional solar cells. They are also flexible, so can be more easily incorporated into the structure of buildings.

Bifacial solar panels that generate power from both sides are becoming increasingly common, especially in utility-scale projects due to their higher energy yields. Adoption is also growing in residential and commercial sectors.

Floating solar installations ("floatovoltaics") are expanding globally, offering benefits such as higher levels of power generation. Agrivoltaics, the co-location of solar panels and agriculture, is also gaining traction.

Wind Power:

While the size of wind turbines has increased significantly in recent years, the industry is now prioritizing optimization of existing designs, improving efficiency and enhancing reliability. A notable UK wind installation currently being constructed is Hornsea 3, with an approximate capacity of up to 2,400MW, located off the coast of Norfolk. Floating wind turbines are transitioning to commercial-scale deployment, opening up new possibilities for offshore wind power in deeper waters.

Airborne wind energy (AWE), a relatively new technology, continues to attract investment and research, with ongoing efforts to demonstrate its reliability and durability. AWE systems use tethered, autonomously flying aircraft or kites to access stronger, more consistent winds at higher altitudes than conventional turbines. These systems generate electricity either on the ground by reeling out the tether or via onboard turbines transmitting power down the tether. AWE offers potential advantages like lower material usage, reduced visual impact, easier deployment, and access to higher-altitude winds. While still developing, AWE is gaining interest and investment, focusing on overcoming challenges to become a viable renewable energy option.

Energy Storage:

Due to the fluctuating nature of renewable energy, storage can be seen as being as critical as the actual generation of the energy. New technologies are being developed that reduce the environmental impact of battery storage construction, as well as increasing their operational lifetime and overall efficiency.

• Lithium-ion batteries remain the dominant technology for grid-scale energy storage. However, there's a strong focus on improving safety, reducing reliance on critical materials, and developing alternative battery chemistries (such as lithium-iron-phosphate).

• Flow batteries are gaining market share, particularly for long-duration energy storage applications, offering advantages in terms of scalability, lifespan and safety

• Solid-state batteries represent a promising future technology, although widespread commercial availability is still some time away. While still largely in the research and development phase, with challenges related to manufacturing scalability and interface stability, solid-state batteries are widely considered the next generation of energy storage, promising significant improvements for applications ranging from electric vehicles to grid-scale storage.

• Sodium-Ion batteries are now starting to enter production. SIBs use sodium ions instead of lithium, offering advantages due to sodium's abundance and lower cost. While having lower energy density, SIBs show promise for grid storage and some EVs, with benefits such as improved safety and low-temperature performance.

• Gravity storage utilizes gravitational potential energy by raising a heavy weight (e.g., solid blocks or water) and then releasing it to drive turbines and generate electricity.

• Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) involves compressing air and storing it underground (in caverns or aquifers) during periods of low energy demand, then releasing it to power turbines when demand is high.

Key Industry Trends

Several significant trends are shaping the renewable energy landscape. A major focus is on grid modernization, including substantial investments in upgrading transmission lines, substations, and smart grid technologies. This is essential to accommodate the growing influx of renewable energy. Corporations are increasingly entering into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to secure renewable energy, driven by sustainability goals and the improving economics of renewables.

Energy Storage as a Service (ESaaS) models are becoming more widespread, helping the wider overall deployment of energy storage solutions. The industry is actively working to diversify supply chains for critical minerals and components to reduce geopolitical risks.

Government Initiatives and Support

Governments are increasingly developing new policies to support the renewable energy sector .

The Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) stipulate that energy utility companies source a specific percentage of their electricity from renewables. Net metering policies credit consumers for excess electricity generated by their own renewable systems and fed back into the grid.

Building codes are evolving to require greater energy efficiency, as well as the integration of renewable energy in new constructions. Governments are also increasingly streamlining the processes around obtaining new permits for energy projects.

Financial Incentives: Many countries offer direct financial support, such as:

• Tax Credits: These reduce the tax burden for individuals and businesses investing in renewable energy systems (e.g., the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in the United States).
• Rebates: Direct payments to consumers or installers to offset the upfront cost of renewable energy systems.
• Grants: Funding provided to support research, development, and deployment of renewable energy technologies (e.g., funding through the Department of Energy in the US, or Horizon Europe in the EU).
• Feed-in Tariffs (FITs): These guarantee a fixed price for electricity generated from renewable sources and fed back into the grid (common in many European countries and parts of Asia).
• Auctions/Tenders: Governments set targets and project capacity for renewable energy, using auctions for developers to secure a price (for example, Contracts for Difference (CfD) in the UK).

Green Hydrogen Strategies:

The green hydrogen sector is experiencing substantial growth, supported by new projects and government policies. A recent UK government report estimated that in the UK alone, the green hydrogen sector could support 29,000 direct jobs, plus a further 65,000 indirect ones by 2030, as well as highlighting up to £27.1billion worth of funding.

How OpenWeather can help

We provide a number of products and services that can be used to play a key role in all the areas of the renewable energy sector, from initial tender, through planning, procurement, constriction and operation.

The OpenWeather Dashboard

OpenWeather's Dashboardreport feature provides customizable weather reports. By integrating these custom weather reports, energy producers, grid operators, and investors can improve balancing supply and demand, as well as being able to refine long-term planning for new projects , and enhance risk management strategies.

Renewable Energy Collection

Solar Irradiance & Energy Prediction service

Our Solar Irradiance API provides global tracking and estimation of solar energy generation, along with historical data analysis for any location. Going beyond location-based insights, our Solar Panel Energy Prediction tool analyzes individual panel specifications and past performance to optimize placement, streamline planning, and protect your assets.

We offer:

• GHI, DNI, and DHI indices for both cloudy and clear skies
• Solar panel output predictions for both cloudy and clear skies
• Daily aggregated data with 1-hour and 15-minute intervals
• Historical, current, and forecast data
• Global coverage

Wind & Energy Prediction service

Our Wind Energy Collection. We offer precise, up-to-date wind data at various heights for any global location, enabling transparent and predictable energy generation. Access historical, real-time, and forecast insights to improve planning, react quickly to changes, and refine your strategy.
We provide:

• Key wind conditions (speed, direction, gust)
• Data for common hub heights (e.g., 80, 100, 200m)
• Historical, current, and forecast data
• Global coverage

Weather data service

Including our Current and forecasts products collection as well as our Historical Products Collection Access comprehensive weather data with OpenWeather. Our archive spans 46+ years, from historical records to minute-by-minute nowcasts and long-term forecasts, including temperature, humidity, lightning, and severe weather insights. Use this data to improve renewable operations, optimize maintenance, assess historical risks, and protect your assets. Prepare for any weather with our Current & Forecast and Historical data.

About OpenWeather:

OpenWeather provides weather data for any location on the globe using a proprietary hyperlocal forecasting model with a resolution from 500 m to 2 km, globally. More than 7,000,000 customers from logistics, agriculture, insurance, energy, retail, and many other sectors, are working with the company's weather products.

OpenWeather cooperates with global meteorological agencies such as MetOffice and NOAA, and enhances its model with data from radars, weather stations and satellites. The company provides great availability of service at 99.9% for enterprise-level products. The products can be easily integrated into complex IT systems and are ideal for ML analytic systems.

Furthermore, OpenWeather offers a comprehensive weather dashboard, providing accurate forecasts, timely severe weather alerts, detailed overviews, and expert consultations from meteorologists. As a member of the Royal Meteorological Society and an Achilles-certified supplier, OpenWeather maintains high standards of quality and reliability. The company also demonstrates a strong commitment to ethical initiatives through the OpenWeather Foundation, which supports educators and students, provides non-profit subscriptions to increase weather awareness, and fosters a community of innovators working towards a sustainable future. This commitment extends to humanitarian efforts such as the Ukrainian donation program.

For more information on how to gain access to our OpenWeather products, please email us.