Episode Transcript
[00:00:10] Speaker A: Welcome to the EU Energy Projects Podcast, a podcast series from Enlida and France focusing on the clean energy transition for the European Union and the EU Commission funded energy projects that will help us achieve it.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Hello everyone. Welcome to today's podcast. I'm joined today by Simone Zepp, who is Project manager of the BlueX project.
Welcome Simone.
[00:00:41] Speaker A: Hello.
[00:00:42] Speaker B: Can you start please with a brief overview of the project?
[00:00:46] Speaker C: Yeah, sure.
So BlueX is all about accelerating offshore renewable energy deployment by making better use of satellite data. The idea is to to bring together Earth observation data, high resolution environmental data sets and analytics into one web based decision support tool. This allows stakeholders to make informed decisions across the entire life cycle of offshore energy projects from site selection all the way to decommissioning, reducing reliance on costly and time consuming in situ surveys.
[00:01:21] Speaker B: So what have been the outcomes?
[00:01:24] Speaker C: Yeah, so it's still ongoing for several months. We got an extension until the end of September, so we are still in the development phase but of course heading towards the end and regarding your questions to the outcomes. So one of the key outcome is the development of a fully functional cloud based platform that integrates a tailored selection of satellite data, analytics and and visualization in one place.
Users can explore environmental conditions, run analysis like heat maps to support site selection, monitor trends and quickly access near real time and forecast information within dashboards for optimal operation management.
There is also a techno economic assessment workflow for site evaluation included and the platform offers an intersection to a multipurpose extended Reality XR component to support planning, visualization and monitoring throughout the entire project lifecycle.
Overall, BlueX makes it much easier to understand complex offshore environments which ultimately helps reduce costs, save time and improve decision making.
[00:02:45] Speaker B: So what particular challenges have emerged during the project?
[00:02:50] Speaker C: Like many data driven projects, one of the biggest challenge was integrating a wide range of data sets like satellite data, in situ measurements and also data from external sources into one comprehensive system.
Another challenge was translating the very diverse user needs into practical tools and functionalities.
We are still elaborating on the understanding of the optimal set of satel information and its temporal and spatial specifications.
And yeah of course some components like the extended reality features or full automation of data workflows are still evolving as part of the ongoing development and so
[00:03:40] Speaker B: have all the original aims been met.
[00:03:44] Speaker C: Overall the main goal have been achieved, so especially the development of the decision support tool itself and the integration of earth observation data.
However, of course some aspects are still being refined, for example scaling the system beyond predefined demo areas and fully integrating all advanced features like the XR tool are still working progress, but I think that's quite typical for an innovation project Development doesn't stop at the first prototype
[00:04:20] Speaker B: and I don't think you mentioned it, but what's the sort of geographical extent that it covers?
[00:04:27] Speaker C: Yeah, so currently we have integrated five use case areas and all of those use case areas are dedicated to one company which is contributing to the project.
And currently they are spread over the European marine areas.
So we have a strong focus in the North Sea as there are many developments ongoing.
But we have also a use case which is operating in the Mediterranean area and also one off the coast of Portugal.
[00:05:06] Speaker B: And is there a possibility to extend that into the Mediterranean, for example?
[00:05:12] Speaker C: Yeah, sure. So the developed data streams which we were working on within the project are there and are automatically running.
So if now the testing phase shows that the platform and how it's built currently so that the prototype is useful, we can always integrate any area in the world which the user wants to assess.
So there is not really a limitation, not really a geographical limitation.
[00:05:55] Speaker B: Okay, well that leads on to the next question I have really. And that's the business case for BlueX.
[00:06:02] Speaker C: Yeah, so mainly BlueX helps to reduce the need for costly offshore surveys. It shortens planning and permitting processes and supports better investment decisions through data driven insights.
To summarize this, it lowers risks and costs while speeding up project development, which is critical if we want to scale offshore renewables.
[00:06:29] Speaker B: And then what are the implications then for, I mean, both current and future offshore projects?
[00:06:35] Speaker C: Yeah, so one key takeaway is that data driven approaches should become like the new standard for offshore energy projects. Speaking of like a wish list and earth observations. Observation can support the decision making across multiple questions.
So for instance, to give like an example, using satellite derived data early in the planning phase can significantly reduce uncertainty and improve site selection.
However, it is of course not the answer for our questions.
But I think BlueX demonstrated that integrating satellite based data with traditional knowledge can effectively support marine re renewable energy initiatives.
Also integrated tools like the decision support platform developed within BlueX, which purpose is combining data analytics and visualization are essential for managing the complexity of modern offshore projects across the entire project life cycle.
[00:07:43] Speaker B: And obviously looking ahead, what was about maintaining the the product beyond the end of the actual project?
[00:07:53] Speaker C: Yeah, so the next step, focus on scaling and improving the platform.
This includes expanding the data coverage which we were also talking before, beyond the current demo areas, also automating further automating data workflows and completing the integration of additional features like the XR tool.
The user Feedback from the testing phase will also play a key role in shaping the next version and preparing for a long term operational tool. The testing phase was recently terminated and we are currently collecting feedback from the early adopters, from the companies which are involved in the project.
Yeah, to further improve the platform.
[00:08:47] Speaker B: So what, will it be available on a commercial basis then?
[00:08:51] Speaker C: Yeah, so this is currently the question we are investigating.
We do not have an answer yet, but we see a high potential of providing also a commercial version of the tool which is developed under the BlueX project.
[00:09:11] Speaker B: And just turning to the space data that went into it, can you tell us about some of the data streams that have been used? And there are new satellites going up with more advanced technologies and are there potential new data streams that can be incorporated?
[00:09:33] Speaker C: Yeah, so BlueX mainly uses data from the Copernicus program, including marine and climate data sets from the Copernicus Marine Service and the Copernicus Climate Service, combined with other environmental and in situ data from various sources.
But we really have to say that our focus are the free accessible Copernicus service data sets.
Looking ahead, there is a strong potential to integrate additional data sources, for example, products from higher resolution satellite missions, near real time data stream streams, or even specific products derived of a commercial satellite data.
We are currently considering offering access to satellite derived water quality information, for instance, to enlarge the knowledge about colocation or to better understand the impacts on biodiversity and environment of the energy installations.
So the modular design of the platform makes it quite easy and offers significant potential to meet also customized needs of future clients.
[00:10:57] Speaker B: So those could include clients outside the energy sector, could it?
[00:11:03] Speaker C: Yes, but I think we should always focus on the energy sector for BlueX.
[00:11:10] Speaker B: And then, I mean, space data is being used more and more in the energy sector. And what have been your experiences, what lessons have you learned or recommendations would you have for others around the use of space data?
[00:11:25] Speaker C: Yeah, so one of the main lessons is that satellite data is extremely valuable, but only if it is accessible and easy to use.
So it's not just about providing data, but about turning it into actionable insights through analytics and user friendly tools.
I think this is what specifically BlueX can provide.
So we have this tailored suite of earth observation and environmental data sets which address the recommendations of the marine renewable energy stakeholders.
And we also have different data analytical tools which make use of the data sets to provide decision support for the entire life cycle of projects. So from site assessment to decommissioning.
So I think from our perspective, the recommendation is to combine Earth observation data with smart analytics and the intuitive BlueX platform to fully unlock its value.
[00:12:47] Speaker B: Okay, super. Well, good. Thank you very much, Simone. And we look forward to following the rest of the project and looking at its outcomes. So thank you very much again.
[00:13:00] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:13:03] Speaker A: You've been listening to the EU Energy Projects Podcast, a podcast brought to you by Enlit and friends. You can find us on Spotify, Apple and the Enlit World website.
Just hit subscribe and you can access our other episodes, too. I'm Aretita Radimo. Thank you for joining.
