Tracking Down the Roots: Energy Meteorology
In 1983, one of the earliest focuses in the emerging field of energy meteorology was the model-based filling of data gaps to provide large-scale, time-resolved information on wind and solar energy influences.
The Energielabor at the University of Oldenburg
In March 1982, the “Energielabor” ("Energy Laboratory") was inaugurated at the University of Oldenburg. Unique for its era, the building was designed to be energy self-sufficient year-round, relying exclusively on photovoltaic modules, solar collectors, biogas, and a 25-meter-high wind turbine.
Initial Research and Simulations
The research group "Physics of Renewable Energy Sources," led by Prof. Joachim Luther, previously demonstrated through simulations that such an energy supply system would work. The successful validation of these calculations allowed the team to pursue deeper research questions.
“Can larger-scale energy supply systems based on renewable energy sources be reliable and secure? For example, for an entire country?”
Evolution of Energy Research Focus
Initially, Oldenburg's energy research concentrated on measuring and modeling individual components like energy converters and storage systems. However, it soon became apparent that truly efficient renewable energy use would require high-resolution data on wind and solar conditions—data that conventional weather forecasts could not offer.
There was also an increasing demand for methods and information to describe potential impacts on fluctuating energy sources, which led to the establishment of energy meteorology as a new research field dedicated to developing these solutions.
Summary
Energy meteorology originated to bridge critical data gaps, enabling more reliable, large-scale renewable energy supply by leveraging advanced meteorological modeling and high-resolution data.