Bolstering resilience to changing weather patterns through new agreement with the Met Office

As climate change continues to impact weather patterns, being able to accurately forecast future weather is crucial to get the most from Great Britain’s growing renewable energy sources and protects the nation against potentially extreme weather events. 

We’ve signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Met Office, strengthening our relationship with experts in weather forecasting to ensure the resilience of Great Britain’s energy networks as we transition towards a secure, affordable and clean energy system.

Ensuring resilience to weather

This MoU is not just a formal agreement; it’s a strategic alliance aimed at maintaining Great Britain’s leadership in meteorological and climate knowledge relevant to the energy sector. By sharing data and expertise together we’re ensuring a resilient energy future to weather patterns.

Core Objectives of the MoU

The collaboration focuses on several key areas:

• Risk mitigation: Addressing potential future risks by leveraging expert insights on weather-related energy impacts.
• Enhanced data sharing: Improving the flow of information between NESO and the Met Office to facilitate informed decision-making.
• AI and Digitalisation: Incorporating cutting-edge technology into existing practices to refine weather forecasting and strategic planning.
• Supporting the government: Providing clear and coherent advice to the UK Government.

Leveraging the Met Office’s meteorological and climate knowledge and expertise will also support us as NESO in our role to consider whole energy system impacts and to plan for the future resilience of the energy system.

Expert integration

A standout feature of this collaboration is the secondment of Dr. Emily Wallace, a Met Office Fellow specialising in Weather and Climate Extremes, into NESO to build on our existing work together. Her expertise will be pivotal in understanding the impact of weather on energy infrastructure, enabling us to better prepare for future challenges and seize opportunities for the energy sector and consumers.

Preparing for changing weather patterns

With climate change expected to increase the frequency of severe weather in the UK, this partnership is timely. The combined expertise of NESO and the Met Office will ensure that the infrastructure is robust enough to handle these changes, safeguarding the security and resilience of the energy supply.

Dr Deborah Petterson, Director of Resilience and Emergency Management, NESO

"What makes this partnership so exciting is the blend of expertise – bringing together those who understand climate with those that understand the energy system. That combination is not only essential but also inspiring as we develop our agreement with the Met Office.  I’m delighted by the potential that this collaboration offers.  By combining NESO’s energy system knowledge with the Met Office’s meteorological and climate expertise, we can plan more effectively for a cleaner, affordable energy future - while ensuring the continuing reliability of our system as we face climate change.”

Steve Calder, Director of Government and Industry Relationships at the Met Office said:

“Weather is the ‘fuel’ behind Britain’s clean energy superpower. Partnering with NESO, our trusted weather and climate intelligence will support the UK’s journey to clean, secure, and resilient energy.

“By fully realising the opportunities of weather as energy, we can help enable a more efficient infrastructure that not only provides clean power, but also protects consumers.”