EU Energy Projects Podcast: How space data is advancing the energy sector

In this episode of the EU Energy Projects podcast, Jonathan Spencer Jones hears from Eduard Escalona Zorita and Fernando Cassola how open-source space data can be used in the energy sector.

Over the course of less than a lifetime, space exploration has evolved from the launch of the first satellite to a multi-billion dollar/euro industry with ever increasing numbers of satellites providing round-the-clock services and scientific and other data on our Earth system.

As the data has become more sophisticated and diverse, it has attracted interest from multiple sectors for monitoring and management – not least in the energy sector with the increasing demands and complexity of the energy transition.

As the agency for the EU’s space programme, EUSPA provides a range of space-based services for public and private users, in particular based on the Copernicus Earth observation and Galileo global navigation programmes.

“Copernicus can provide lots of data that can be useful in different types of applications in the energy sector,” says Eduard Escalona Zorita, Space Downstream Market officer at EUSPA.

In an exclusive podcast interview at Enlit Europe 2025 in Bilbao, he explains:

“For example, you can use geospatial data on the composition of the atmosphere and the type of land you are monitoring and this is very useful to know where to deploy projects in a more efficient way, how much energy they can generate, if there is an impact on the environment.”

He adds that a key feature of the Copernicus data is that it is open and freely available to users, be they individuals or companies.

An example of the use of space data is the ‘Blue energy offshore installation accelerator’ (BLUE-X) project to accelerate the delivery of renewable energy offshore.

Planned to support decision making through the entire life cycle of offshore installations, from site assessment and operational management to the decommissioning stage, Fernando Cassola, INESC TEC researcher representing the project, explains that the core development is a web-based decision support tool, where relevant data sets are integrated and made easily accessible.

“The tool includes advanced data analytics, enabling users to leverage satellite data, for exampl,e for trend analysis during site assessment and to access near real time data for operational planning.”

An accompanying immersive XR tool is also being developed, with two demo apps to date – one on tidal and wind corridors and the other for qualifying catastrophe scenarios such as an oil spill.

Europe’s space programme is in constant evolution with new satellites with advanced instrumentation planned into the 2030s and beyond, which will open up opportunities for the application of new forms of space data.

As an example, Zorita comments: “The EU is working on a new constellation of satellite communication infrastructure, which will complement the Earth observation and positioning programmes and all the ground-based communication systems and we believe this will also be great for innovating.”

For more on EUSPA in the energy sector, visit the dedicated webpage.

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Listen to previous episodes:

Port of Bilbao reveals €115m decarbonisation plan
Building Europe's renewable-ready grid with project CABLEGNOSIS

More about space data:

Energinet looks to space for solar forecasting
Space-based solar could deliver 80% of Europe's renewable energy needs – study