Energy Archives - EOMAP - Earth Observation Services https://eomap.com/usecases_category/renewable-energy/ Satellite-based insights on the world's environment Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:10:42 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 Water monitoring along the Zambezi https://eomap.com/usecases/water-monitoring-zambezi/ Wed, 10 Sep 2025 13:30:26 +0000 https://eomap.com/?post_type=avada_portfolio&p=13377 The Zambezi River counts among Africa's most important river basins. This ESA-funded project is centered on nature-based solutions to address climate change threats. For this endeavour, we contribute through water quality and Earth Observation (EO)-based discharge data. This will be integrated into the data established platform of the Zambezi River Basin Commission (ZAMCOM).The Zambezi River [...]

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The Zambezi River counts among Africa’s most important river basins. This ESA-funded project is centered on nature-based solutions to address climate change threats. For this endeavour, we contribute through water quality and Earth Observation (EO)-based discharge data. This will be integrated into the data established platform of the Zambezi River Basin Commission (ZAMCOM).

The Zambezi River links 8 countries

The Zambezi River is the fourth longest in Africa, has a basin of approximately 1,370,000 km2, and runs through eight countries: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. Like most rivers, it provides a wide range of ecosystem services, including drinking water, sanitation, transportation, electricity generation, and habitats for diverse species. These entail an ongoing contested development. In addition, resource extraction, industrial and population growth along its catchment put pressure on the Zambezi.

Bridging data gaps

ZAMCOM’s mission relies heavily on high-quality data. The ZAMWIS system, their comprehensive online data repository, combines everything from historical hydrological records to real-time satellite data. However, continuous data flow from all member states has been a challenge, leading to critical information gaps. That’s where external support comes in, for example, through independent data sources.

Satellite tech to complement in-situ data

Through the ESA-funded GDA Water Resources project, EOMAP provided independent data, helping ZAMCOM generate consistent river discharge measurements. By using advanced satellite technology — combining altimetry sensors for water levels and optical sensors for river width and flow characteristics — EOMAP delivered daily discharge estimates at seven critical locations. Impressively, this EO-based approach exceeded ZAMCOM’s expectations, offering vital insights for strategic management of the Zambezi and its tributaries, including areas influencing the enormous Cahora Bassa reservoir.

Water Quality Monitoring: A Game-Changer for River Ecosystems

ZAMCOM’s data previously lacked coverage on water quality — a critical component of river ecosystem management. Thanks to satellite-derived insights from EOMAP, that has changed. For instance, the Kafue Flats, a crucial wetland in Zambia with industrial, ecological, and economic importance, can now be monitored at over ten locations. This allows for early detection of environmental issues that would be hard to track with conventional fieldwork.

In another key discovery, Chlorophyll-a concentrations highlighted two Upper Zambezi tributaries, Kapombo and Lungwebungu, as hotspots for elevated levels. While the reasons behind these spikes require further investigation, the findings have sparked ZAMCOM’s interest in continuing this line of research.

Driving Sustainable Water Use

The Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) is a collaborative effort between eight nations: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The intergovernmental organization aims to promote equitable and efficient management of the Zambezi River’s water resources. This involves balancing upstream water extraction with the needs of downstream communities. By this, ZAMCOM strives to foster sustainable development and reduce poverty.

The project has been conducted with support from GDA Water Resources by ESA and the Climate Investment Fund (CIF).

Let’s connect

Contact our R&I team for more details.
Learn more about satellite-based Water Quality monitoring

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]]> Snowpower https://eomap.com/usecases/snowpower/ Fri, 09 May 2025 12:25:16 +0000 https://eomap.com/?post_type=avada_portfolio&p=12453 SnowPower is an innovation project led by EOMAP. The target is to provide accurate snow information for large, even very remote mountainous areas, using satellite data. Water stored in snow is of high relevance to the hydropower sector, but also to drinking water providers, insurance and re-insurance companies, water management and meteorological services or energy [...]

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]]> SnowPower is an innovation project led by EOMAP. The target is to provide accurate snow information for large, even very remote mountainous areas, using satellite data. Water stored in snow is of high relevance to the hydropower sector, but also to drinking water providers, insurance and re-insurance companies, water management and meteorological services or energy traders and solar park operators.

The project benefits significantly from the expertise of our partners, the Finnish Meteorological Institute and Snowcap, Belgium.

Precise data needed to optimise energy production

Information about snow depth (SD) and the water volume stored in snow (snow water equivalent – SWE) is particularly crucial for the hydropower sector. Especially during Spring when the snow melts, there is a need for precise data on both to optimise energy production. However, retrieving SD and SWE data in extensive mountainous regions by traditional methods, such as in-situ measurements or Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) overflights, is not only limited in time and personnel. It is also highly expensive to execute.

A new approach to estimate water reserves in snow

Now, SnowPower represents a solution to cover wider geographical areas in more detail, more efficiently and at lower cost than ever before: Using state-of-the-art technology, our partner SnowCap retrieves precise snow depth information from active radar data in vast areas. Combining this satellite-retrieved data with advanced data assimilation techniques, a physics-based snow model is fed to generate daily Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) information at a resolution of 500 meters.

This results in:

📏 Seamless SWE data availability for vast mountainous regions, such as Scandinavia or the entire Alpine arch
🗺️ Merged SWE information for non-mountainous areas, offering comprehensive regional coverage
📈 Enhanced visualization, export, and analysis via eoapp HYPOS by EOMAP to support decision-making processes.

Within this project, we support the Enel Group in managing reservoir levels and optimising electricity production of their hydropower plants across the Alpine and Apennine areas.

SnowPower is developed under ESA’s Business Application and Space Solutions programme.

Let’s connect

Please contact our R&I team for more details.

Read more in this article on ESA’s business platform.

E-mail to our team for the recordings of the SnowPower webinar.

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]]> Catch-Mekong https://eomap.com/usecases/catch-mekong/ Sat, 04 Nov 2023 09:26:31 +0000 https://eomap.com/?post_type=avada_portfolio&p=853 Monitoring Sedimentation in the Mekong Delta The international Catch-Mekong project aims to provide research and technology for the sustainable management of natural resources in the Mekong basin with a special focus on the delta region. Main topics include saltwater intrusion, land use and river and coastal morphology. The Catch-Mekong project’s main goal is to integrate [...]

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]]> Monitoring Sedimentation in the Mekong Delta

The international Catch-Mekong project aims to provide research and technology for the sustainable management of natural resources in the Mekong basin with a special focus on the delta region. Main topics include saltwater intrusion, land use and river and coastal morphology.

The Catch-Mekong project’s main goal is to integrate Earth observation and in-situ monitoring with water quality models and data for the Mekong Delta. This will provide a tool to support decision-making on salinification, coastal instabilities and specific environmental challenges.

EOMAP processed all available satellite imagery from the Landsat archive for the whole of the middle and downstream section of the Mekong river to derive time-series information on water quality parameters such as turbidity. This information is used by scientists from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) and is included in the modelling of sediment dynamics for the Mekong basin.

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]]> HYPOS https://eomap.com/usecases/hypos/ Sun, 29 Oct 2023 09:53:01 +0000 https://eomap.com/?post_type=avada_portfolio&p=876 HYPOS integrates multi-source data - for improved hydropower planning and operation Easy access to and targeted analysis of water quality data such as sediment concentrations and hydrological parameters are essential for hydropower stakeholders. Information on the sediment regime, on sediment trapping in the river network and basin are key parameters for assessing major operation costs [...]

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]]> HYPOS integrates multi-source data – for improved hydropower planning and operation

Easy access to and targeted analysis of water quality data such as sediment concentrations and hydrological parameters are essential for hydropower stakeholders. Information on the sediment regime, on sediment trapping in the river network and basin are key parameters for assessing major operation costs and investment risks. However, such information is usually rare in the planning phase of hydropower installations.

Within the Horizon-2020-funded project HYPOS (GA No.870504) – HYdro POwer Suite – an innovative decision support tool has been developed. In a user-friendly online tool, HYPOS provides comprehensive data analysis. As for data sources, it builds on satellite-based water quality data and hydrological modelled data. In addition, the online solution allows to integrate in situ data for further validation. It is designed for hydropower reservoir monitoring and planning.

The main target is to decrease project risks with continuous data beyond traditional on-site measurements. The application of the toolbox was showcased in the framework of hydropower projects in Georgia, Switzerland, and Africa.

Download the HYPOS Portfolio here to learn more about the concept, parameters measured, and the technology behind.

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