1. GEO Vision for Energy Side Event
Richard Eckman
Thierry Ranchin

2. Introduction to the Side Event
Presentation of the GEO-VENER initiative
Exchange with the stakeholders of the energy domain regarding the benefits of Earth observation for renewable energies.
The goals for the side event are:
to promote energy activities within the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) (
to foster US organizations/companies to participate in the GEO-VENER initiative (
to explain the GEO Common Infrastructure and how to contribute to it, and
to understand stakeholder's needs and views.

3. Programme of the Side Event
8:30-10:00 The current Landscape
Introduction to the Workshop and to GEO VENER (Richard Eckman and Thierry Ranchin))
GEO Common Infrastructure (Paola De Salvo)
GEO-VENER initiative contribution: webservice-energy.org (Lionel Menard)
The Global Atlas for Renewable Energies (Jacinto Estima)
Discussion within the room before the break

4. Programme of the Side Event
10:30 – 12:00 US in GEO-VENER
Introduction: Update status of US activities (Richard Eckman)
Making NASA Data Sets Available with GIS-based Web-Applications for Energy (Paul Stackhouse)
Beyond the Map - Data and Tools for Renewable Energy Research (Anthony Lopez)
Development happens somewhere: pushing geospatial in renewable energy at the World Bank Group (Benjamin P. Stewart)
To be confirmed (Scott Sklar)
Discussion within the room and wrap-up
Discussion within the room

6. GEO Vision for Energy Background
Contribute to GEO Energy and Minerals Resources SBA and Energy SDG7
Support the development of Earth observation products and services for energy management.
Consider information to support end-to-end energy production systems (including planning, generation, transmission, distribution, and integrated operations).
Promote collaboration between users and providers of Earth observation and information.
Encourage the use of Earth observation and information for informed renewable energy policy planning in developing and developed countries.
Focus on Renewal Energy (RE)

7. Objectives
Contribute to SDG7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Pursue expansion of current Essential Renewable Energies Variables (EREV) to apply to all forms of RE
Conduct Gap Analysis – RE community observation requirements, ongoing research, GEOSS discovery and broker analysis
Develop EO Products and Services for all RE
Development of in-situ meta networks for RE
Build on webservice-energy.org (GEOSS community portal) as the focal point for RE

8. Summary A full set of activities: see the WP documents User engagement
Future plans
Increase the user community of GEO-VENER
Structure the user community
Develop products and services
Identify the policy mandate that can be given to GEO-VENER
Establish the GEO Renewable Energies Flagship.