Reaearch project In2Action

Insight, Information, Action – Nowcasting of Weather to Improve Operational Safety

With increasing automation and networking in systems, for example in flight route determination or in the operation of power grids, reliable forecasting of weather and space weather events is becoming increasingly important. Particularly critical events, such as wind gusts associated with approaching thunderstorms, can be detected in advance through highly accurate short-term forecasts – known as nowcasting. Ideally, it is possible to react to the changed conditions in order to avoid operational disruptions. Against this background, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has launched the In2Action project. The goal is to develop reliable nowcasting systems, improve them with new methods, and demonstrate their potential use in five different applications.

Research project In2Action

 

Duration

January 2025 to December 2027

Funded by

German Aerospace Center

Project participants

  • Institute of Networked Energy Systems
  • Institute of Aeroelasticity
  • The German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD)
  • Institute of Data Science
  • Institute of Flight Guidance
  • Institute of Flight Systems
  • Galileo Competence Center
  • Institute for AI Safety and Security
  • Institute of Communications and Navigation
  • Institute of Air Transport
  • Institute of Aerospace Medicine
  • The Remote Sensing Technology Institute
  • Institute of Atmospheric Physics
  • Space Operations and Astronaut Training
  • Responsive Space Cluster Competence Center
  • Institute of Solar Research
  • Institute for Solar-Terrestrial Physics
  • Institute of Transportation Systems

The In2Action research project focuses on refining the physical understanding of weather and space weather in order to generate short-term forecasts of small-scale phenomena. Methodological chains for nowcasting significant weather and space weather events in the minute to hour range, based on modern weather models, satellite data and developments in artificial intelligence, are to be used and further developed. The nowcasting processes developed in In2Action will be used in business-critical situations to demonstrate their benefit for the applications. Such demonstrators will be developed for the areas of aviation, space travel, security, energy and transport, i.e. wherever extreme weather events can lead to problems.

The Institute of Networked Energy Systems is focusing on the development of nowcasting for solar radiation based on satellite data and sky-camera information, and the combination of this solar nowcast with wind nowcasts for the changed operation of power grids. The research wind farm WiValdi in Krummendeich will serve as an example location. During the project, two stations of the Eye2Sky cloud camera network will be installed there. The aim is to use nowcasting for generation forecasting and early detection of potentially critical states that could lead to challenging situations in the power grid due to abrupt drops in radiation or wind gusts. Using a simulation of the use of the combined nowcast in network operation, the added value of the nowcast compared to classic forecasts will be evaluated. A database of weather conditions relevant to the energy industry will also be created in the In2Action project.

More information

Departments, research groups and challenges related to the In2Action project:

Department

Energy Systems Technology

The Energy Systems Technology department focuses on the interaction between system-relevant technologies within decentralised networked structures, particularly at the low-voltage and medium-voltage level.

Department

Energy Systems Analysis

The Energy Systems Analysis department generates system-analytical knowledge, which we provide across sectors up to the global level and based in part on methods and modelling tools developed in-house.

Research Group

Flexibilities and Ancillary Services

The Flexibilities and System Ancillary Services research group is investigating which tools, operational management strategies and additional infrastructure are required in order to operate the electricity grids in a stable, reliable and robust manner.

Research Group

Energy Meteorology

In the Energy Meteorology research group, we analyse how various observation systems and numerical models can be methodically optimised. We operate our own measurement networks for ground- and satellite-based collection of energy meteorological data to provide optimal information for the energy supply.

Challenge

Grid management: Electricity, gas, and heating grids

To ensure that energy is not only available on the balance sheet, but also in the right place at the right time, electricity, gas, and heating grids must be analysed in anticipation of future challenges, adapted in their operational management and modernised and expanded in terms of infrastructure.

Challenge

Balancing energy supply and demand

The simultaneity of electricity generation and consumption is the basis for a stable energy system. While fossil and nuclear power plants have so far been deployed according to demand, the dominant renewable energies in the electricity system are heavily dependent on weather - and therefore not available at any given time.

Contact

Flexibilities and Ancillary Services

Research Group
Institute of Networked Energy Systems

Energy Meteorology

Research Group
Institute of Networked Energy Systems