Latest news with #Meteomatics
Forbes
10-08-2025
- Business
- Forbes
A Global Leader In Weather Intelligence For Boosting Energy Efficiency
Meteomatics is a weather intelligence and technology company that offers companies across industries—including energy, insurance, aviation and agriculture—real-time insights into localized weather patterns that directly affect their business. More than 600 companies, including Northwestern Energy, NASA, and UK Power Networks, rely on Meteomatics for weather data that can significantly impact everything from energy savings and logistics to process automation, risk management, and product design. The company's US1k weather model covers the contiguous U.S. and Gulf of Mexico at a resolution of 1 km and updates every hour, integrating data from 110+ sources, including aircraft, ground stations, drones, radars and satellites. Included in these sources is the company's proprietary Meteodrones—weather drones capable of flying up to 6 km, or 19,500 feet, above mean sea level. Meteomatics recently released its 2025 Weather Data Trends in Energy Report. Conducted in tandem with market research firm Dynata, the report surveyed 272 senior level energy executives across grid operations, utilities and energy trading, in the U.S. The report explores renewable energy's impact on them, how they are using the source in their day to day operations, and how the weather affects energy generation. The report also shines a light on other key areas where increasingly extreme weather events are affecting energy executives including those in oil, gas and nuclear, as well as what they are investing in as solutions. We interviewed Martin Fengler, CEO of Meteomatics, in August 2025. Q1. What is the main way Meteomatics is impacting the energy industry? Even a 1% difference in weather forecast accuracy can result in millions of dollars in annual economic losses. With this, power companies need to be able to accurately estimate the weather in order to determine how much energy is being generated, how much is needed to meet demand, and how much can be transmitted at anytime, anywhere. Meteomatics' weather data models deliver the highest accuracy weather intelligence to companies, from utilities to traders, making this possible. We pair hyperlocal weather data with live data from energy companies' respective power plants to deliver intra-day and day-ahead energy forecasts for solar, wind, hydropower, and offshore oil and gas platforms. Q2. Meteomatics' report shows that energy operators are worried about meeting the uptick in energy demand in the U.S. What is causing the uptick? Both communities and businesses alike are playing a part in the current spike in U.S. energy demand. On the business end, the market's growing fixation with AI is a leading cause. Major technology companies, including Meta and Google, are investing billions in AI data centers. And now the phenomenon is spreading beyond the technology industry. Blackstone, for example, announced at the Energy and Innovation Summit in Pittsburgh a $25B investment in Pennsylvania data centers, which the company stated in a press release is 'uniquely suited to serve as a strategic hub to power the nation's AI objectives'. Large AI projects require a substantial amount of power. As more companies jump on the AI bandwagon, the power grid is under skyrocketing pressure to provide the power needed for AI to run. Additionally, consumers are increasingly using more electricity amid extreme temperatures. This summer, we have already seen heat waves increase in intensity and longevity, resulting in increased customer demand. Q3. Heatwaves have a serious effect on the energy business. Why is this, and can the oil and gas industry support the heightened energy demand? From a power standpoint, the higher the temperature, the higher the cooling demand for air conditioning. The oil and gas industry helps support this heightened energy demand with gas-generated power plants, which are thermal power stations that burn natural gas to generate electricity. However, with temperatures reaching such high levels this summer, utilities need every energy resource they can get to effectively manage building demand. It's also important to note that heat affects the power grid infrastructure itself. Certain temperatures can affect the amount of power that power lines can transmit. Utilities aim to prevent overheating their lines and avoid causing outages. Q4. I've heard that temperatures exceeding 100 degrees detrimentally impacts oil refineries. Why is this and how can Meteomatics help? Refineries are typically designed to operate between 32°F and 95°F. When temperatures exceed these limits, refineries can become inefficient, shut down, or create potentially dangerous working conditions. Our weather data can help the industry plan for instances like this, ensuring the lights don't go out and nobody is in harm's way. For example, utilities can use forecasts to determine their energy distribution/trading strategy. If the temperature exceeds 95°F, they can plan to supplement the grid with additional renewable sources in case refineries shut down. Q5. The report says over half of U.S. energy executives are still looking to increase their reliance on renewable power sources, despite the challenge of daily fluctuations. How can Meteomatics assist here? Meteomatics' 1k model provides highly accurate forecasts of even the smallest meteorological events. We can identify local weather patterns within an area of 1 square kilometer, rivaling current leading weather solutions in the U.S., to provide utilities with hyper-accurate insight into the daily conditions affecting their operations. With this, companies can confidently understand how much renewable energy they'll produce that day, the next day, or in the weeks following from solar, wind, and hydropower. Companies can also better assess the energy potential of specific locations based on wind speeds or the site's solar radiation. This enhances the reliability of renewable energy sources in power grids, enabling them to be utilized cost-effectively. Q6. How do battery energy storage systems (BESS) resolve the intermittent sources of wind and solar? One main challenge our report discovered for utilities is that when there is an excess of energy produced, it cannot be efficiently stored or distributed. That's where battery energy storage systems can play a crucial role. Fluctuating generation, whether in excess or deficit, will be less of a challenge with BESS. The excess can be saved for later and then utilized when there is not enough energy being generated to support demand. Fifty-two percent (52%) of utilities plan to increase their investment in BESS solutions over the next decade. Q7. What can you tell us about weather intelligence solutions for resilience of electric power? Weather conditions can stress and damage power plant infrastructure. For example, wildfires and hurricanes specifically impact transmission lines. With hyperlocal weather data and high-resolution weather modeling, energy companies can harden the grid. This can take the form of everything from dispatching utility crews for severe storms to vegetation management to mitigate wildfires. Meteomatics is currently working with NorthWestern Energy to strengthen its wildfire risk monitoring and response capabilities. The utility is using our platform to access real-time wildfire indicators—such as wind speed, humidity, and dryness—on a subhourly basis. This enables earlier action to help reduce the risk of service interruptions and infrastructure damage. Q8. What role does weather intelligence play in energy trading? Accurate weather intelligence forecasts give energy traders the inside knowledge necessary to capitalize on market opportunities. By anticipating weather-related fluctuations in energy demand and supply, traders can optimize their trading strategies and maximize profits. For example, with Meteomatics traders can utilize weather data for forecasting natural gas and power demand. Granular weather data is used by power traders for real-time and day-ahead trading decisions across all major regional transmission organizations and independent system operators (e.g. ERCOT, PJM). The speed of ingesting various weather models via the platform during the market day is key for traders to act quickly and efficiently in response to rapidly changing prices. Q9. Are there other ways Meteomatics and weather intelligence solutions can help keep U.S. power grids stable? Weather intelligence solutions like ours can help ensure that power grids transmit energy as efficiently as possible, utilizing all available line capacity. Renewable energy distribution requires a significant amount of grid capacity, but many operators need to build more infrastructure, which takes time. Meanwhile, Meteomatics' weather data enables utilities to unlock more grid capacity than they previously thought their aging grids could support. By monitoring weather factors that affect line capacity, such as air temperature, wind speed, and wind direction, in real-time, instead of using historical data, utilities can have a much better gauge of capacity. For example, higher wind gusts can cool power lines, allowing more energy to be transmitted safely. If a provider knows the wind duration will last, they can safely funnel more power out to meet energy demand.
Associated Press
20-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Meteomatics Launches Sustainable Alternative to Weather Balloons with Meteoglider
Weather Intelligence Company Introduces Reusable Radiosondes with Acquisition of R2Home EXTON, PA, UNITED STATES, March 20, 2025 / / -- Meteomatics, the weather intelligence and technology company that enables the world's leading companies to accurately forecast the weather's impact on business, today announced the global availability of its Meteoglider, following the acquisition of R2Home and its reusable radiosonde technology. The lightweight glider collects the same high-quality atmospheric data as a radiosonde launched by a weather balloon, but enables organizations to bring back the radiosondes for reuse. This introduces a more sustainable and cost-effective option to conventional radiosondes that typically disappear with weather balloons as they drift and burst at high altitudes. With the Meteoglider, Meteomatics offers companies and national weather services the first solution to recover and reuse radiosondes at scale. Weather balloons have played an integral role in global weather observation for nearly 100 years, carrying radiosondes up to around 100,000 feet in the stratosphere to collect data on temperature, humidity, wind, and more. Out of the approximately 600,000 radiosondes launched every year globally, however, only 20% are recovered and less than 1% are used again with the majority of them lost to the Earth, littering forests, oceans and other remote locations. As businesses continue to navigate weather's increasing impact on their operations, the financial and environmental cost of deploying single-use radiosondes for weather monitoring is becoming less viable. Meteomatics now introduces the ability for companies and national weather services to reuse radiosondes at scale with the Meteoglider. The lightweight, half-pound foam glider is equipped with a radiosonde and a sophisticated guidance system that allows it to return to the launch site or a designated GPS location in as little as 25 minutes, at a speed of 140 meters, or 450+ feet, per second. This technology allows the Meteoglider to be reused as many as 50 times with hundreds of available operational hours. The Meteoglider collects the same high-quality atmospheric data as a conventional radiosonde, but due to its ability to successfully return back to its launch point or another location, companies and national weather services can also collect additional weather data upon its descent at a target location in the atmosphere. The technology has also achieved record-breaking heights, achieving stable flight as high as 34,300 meters, or over 110,000 feet– the highest known altitude for a glider flight. 'Radiosondes offer essential data for companies to power weather forecasts, climate models and more, but the astronomical economic and environmental cost is not sustainable as these radiosondes are carried by weather balloons and never recovered,' said Martin Fengler, CEO of Meteomatics. 'The Meteoglider's ability to reuse these radiosondes at scale for the first time is a game changer in the weather industry and will open up numerous possibilities for the future of weather forecasting. We look forward to the continued innovation of the Meteogliders under Yohan's lead as he joins the Meteomatics team.' The launch of the Meteoglider follows Meteomatics' acquisition of R2Home. Founded by Yohan Hadji in 2019, R2Home developed its glidersonde to reduce the environmental and economic impact of conventional radiosondes launched by weather balloons. The company's reusable radiosonde technology, now the Meteoglider, will continue to innovate and scale under Meteomatics. Hadji also joins the Meteomatics team to lead the development and manufacturing of Meteogliders. 'The Meteoglider paves the way for the recovery and reuse of radiosondes. It moves the industry towards greater efficiency and less waste in the atmospheric measurement that's essential to the entire meteorology chain– from risk warning to climatology,' said Bruno Piguet, Head of the High-Altitude Observation, Meteo-France. Meteomatics' Meteogliders join the company's autonomous weather drones, dubbed 'Meteodrones,' as part of the company's proprietary aircrafts built for improved weather forecasts. The Meteodrones fly up to 20,000 feet above the Earth's surface to address gaps in existing networks, forecasting local weather events such as fog, precipitation, wind, hail, storms and changing temperatures. Together, these technologies complement each other by expanding the scope and accuracy of atmospheric data collection and introduce a more sustainable and accurate approach to weather forecasting. About Meteomatics Meteomatics is a weather intelligence and technology company that enables precision forecasts of the weather's impact on businesses anywhere in the world at any time. More than 600 companies, including CVS Health, Swiss Re, McCain, NASA, Honda, Airbus, Stellantis and UK Power Networks, rely on Meteomatics for weather data that can significantly impact everything from energy savings, logistics, and process automation to risk management and product design. The company's robust approach to weather data collection, modeling, visualization and delivery rivals even the most sophisticated government and commercial services. Its autonomous Meteodrone, paired with high-resolution weather models, enables granular visibility (down to a single square km) into weather phenomena that traditional weather sensing technology does not regularly or accurately observe. Meteomatics is headquartered in Switzerland, with local operations in the U.S., the UK, Germany, Norway and Spain. Legal Disclaimer:
