Energy Services

Enhancing energy resilience, promoting renewable energy and supporting smart energy operations. 

Scope

Weather, water, and climate information and services for the energy sector encompass the full spectrum of time scales - from historical data to real-time observations, short-term weather forecasting, sub-seasonal to seasonal predictions, annual to multi-annual climate predictions, and decadal climate projections. This comprehensive range of services enables the energy sector to optimize operations, plan maintenance, invest in renewable resources, and make informed decisions on national energy strategies. Additionally, these play a crucial role in enhancing the resilience of energy infrastructure, particularly renewables, which are increasingly exposed to more intense, frequent, and prolonged weather and climate extreme events in a changing climate. 

To address the growing needs of the energy sector for advanced hydro-meteorological information and services, the United Nations, with leadership from WMO, is implementing the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). This initiative ensures that the best possible climate information is available across various sectors, including the energy sector. The data and knowledge provided under GFCS are structured to assist decision-makers in making science- and evidence-based decisions that enhance energy resilience and support the transition to net-zero emissions. WMO supports countries in progressing towards a net-zero energy transition, achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) targets, and fulfilling the commitments of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 

Objectives 

To support Members in the energy sector, WMO implements a range of activities under the guidance of the WMO Study Group on Renewable Energy Transition (SG-RENE). These are based on continuous monitoring of the energy sector's needs at global, regional, and national levels, ensuring that the support provided is timely, relevant, and responsive. 

The activities fall into the following categories:

  • Systematic gap analysis and needs assessment.
  • Compilation of guidelines and technical publications.
  • Capacity development activities (regional training courses, workshops, summer schools, technical webinars, side-events events, and conferences).
  • Provision of technical support to WMO regional projects across national needs for weather, water, and climate services for energy.
  • Strengthening external partnerships on global and regional scales to facilitate capacity development activities, advocacy efforts, and effective communication. 

WMO Energy and Meteorology Portal

Structure 

SG-RENE is composed of 19 world-leading experts representing all six WMO Regional Associations. It convenes quarterly and reports directly to SERCOM, ensuring that its work is closely aligned with WMO's broader strategic goals. SG-RENE also coordinates with other WMO bodies, such as the Standing Committees on Hydrology (SC-HYD), Agriculture (SC-AGR), Climate (SC-CLI), and Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Warning Services (SC-DRR), as well as the WMO Research Board (RB), the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP), and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), to foster collaboration on common topics and prevent duplication of efforts. SG-RENE was established for the period 2024-2027 building on the foundation laid by the Study Group on Integrated Energy Services (SG-ENE), established in 2020 under the Commission for Weather, Climate, Hydrological, Marine, and Related Environmental Services and Applications (SERCOM). 

WMO works in collaboration with a broad international and regional network of organizations from the energy and meteorology sectors, including the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Energy Agency (IEA), the World Energy and Meteorology Council (WEMC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), among others. These partnerships aim to enhance the integration of advanced meteorological services into the energy sector, facilitating a smooth and efficient climate-resilient transition to renewable and low-carbon energy sources across the globe.