Met Office and Grid collaborate to boost windfarm efficiency
Britain’s ability to generate renewable power may rely as much on accurate weather forecasts as on the performance of wind farms. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has entered a partnership with the Met Office to improve planning and resilience in the face of increasingly extreme weather.
The cooperation, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding, deepens collaboration between both organizations and places weather specialists directly within NESO. This step aims to strengthen the nation's preparedness for storms, floods, and heatwaves caused by climate change, as well as to optimize how renewable energy is deployed.
By sharing data and using artificial intelligence to refine prediction models, NESO and the Met Office intend to enhance the accuracy of weather-driven energy forecasting. Their joint work also involves advising the government on potential future risks and ensuring that power infrastructure remains robust under changing conditions.
Met Office Fellow Dr Emily Wallace will join NESO on secondment, offering insights into how climate patterns and extreme weather influence energy networks.
According to the agreement, this role will support energy planners in anticipating issues before they escalate and in identifying ways to improve system efficiency and resilience.
Author’s Summary
The Met Office and NESO unite to merge climate intelligence with energy planning, aiming to strengthen Britain’s renewable network resilience against extreme weather.