Innovative collaboration at core of new Met Office and National Energy System Operator agreement

• Climate change is already influencing the country’s weather, and this agreement demonstrates a shared commitment to mitigate risks and ensure future resilience of the energy network.
   
• This MoU will build on the relationship between the two organisations and reflect the continued importance of meteorological and climate knowledge in planning and balancing Great Britain’s Energy System. 
   
• Both organisations will work together to address future risks and opportunities that our changing climate brings, to better plan as Britain decarbonises and ensure our infrastructure is resilient using both organisations’ expertise and knowledge. 

As weather patterns continue to shift over the coming decades due to climate change, being able to accurately forecast future patterns more precisely will not only help Britain get the most from its growing renewable energy sources, but will allow energy networks to protect against more frequent extreme weather events.  

Bringing together experts in weather forecasting and energy infrastructure will only grow in importance in the coming years, providing expert insight to mitigate these potential risks and ensure that the future resilience of energy networks is maintained throughout the energy transition.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Met Office, reaffirming their shared commitment to support Great Britain’s transition towards a future clean, affordable, and secure energy system.  

The memorandum outlines the ways in which the two organisations will work together to ensure Great Britain remains a global leader in their field with the skills, knowledge, data and expertise to move forward.

This MoU builds on a long-standing relationship between the Met Office and NESO, and reflects the need for Great Britain to maintain its priority focus area around meteorological and climate knowledge in relation to the Energy System.  

To support this, NESO and the Met Office have outlined some 'principles of cooperation' to aid its development, looking at potential future risks and opportunities affecting weather related energy, improving data sharing between both organisations, incorporating AI and digitalisation into existing working practices and collaborating to provide clear coherent and consistent advice to the UK Government. This in turn, will help NESO make informed strategic decisions. 

Leveraging the Met Office’s meteorological and climate knowledge and expertise will support NESO in its new roles to consider whole energy system impacts and to plan for future resilience of the energy system.  

To build on the existing work the Met Office and NESO are already doing as part of this agreement, Met Office expertise will be embedded within NESO as part of a secondment. Met Office Fellow in Weather and Climate Extremes and Impacts, Dr Emily Wallace, will bring specialist knowledge on weather and climate and how it can impact energy infrastructure. The secondment will enable better preparation for challenges of the future, as well as seizing opportunities for the energy sector and consumers.  

The MoU will streamline work between NESO and the Met Office, with specialised weather forecasting capability crucial for determining the future mix of the energy network, where changes in the weather can result in big changes in how the grid works.  

Climate change is already influencing the UK’s weather, with more frequent severe weather expected in the coming decades. The collaboration between NESO and the Met Office will ensure infrastructure is as prepared as possible for ongoing changes to the UK’s weather as a result of climate change.  

Met Office work with the wider energy sector will continue, including providing expertise and data to support security of energy supply, resilience and operations.

Dr Deborah Petterson, NESO and Steve Calder, Met Office

Dr Deborah Petterson, Director of Resilience and Emergency Management at NESO, said: "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.”