The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), hosted the Renewables Talk event in Abu Dhabi to mark the International Day of Clean Energy, highlighting the critical role of weather and climate data in renewable energy planning, grid readiness, and infrastructure resilience.
The high-level forum brought together senior government officials, industry experts, and climate specialists, focusing on how climate intelligence can enhance investment efficiency, strengthen grid reliability, and accelerate the clean energy transition.
Dr Abdulla Ahmed Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organization and Director-General of NCM, emphasised the need to integrate weather and climate data into national and regional energy planning frameworks. He said the growing dependence on renewable energy makes accurate forecasting essential for improving power generation efficiency and ensuring supply security, especially amid the rising frequency of extreme weather events.
He noted that climate variability has become a direct factor influencing energy systems, underlining the importance of converting weather and climate data into actionable energy intelligence to support renewable project site selection, strengthen early warning systems, and safeguard energy infrastructure.
Al Mandous highlighted that 2024 was the hottest year on record, while 2025 ranked as the third warmest, adding that rising temperatures have pushed global energy demand nearly 4% above average. He also pointed to increasing electricity demand from data centres supporting artificial intelligence applications, intensifying pressure on grid preparedness and energy resource management.
Dr Nawal Al-Hosany, Permanent Representative of the UAE to IRENA, said translating climate intelligence into operational and investment decisions has become vital as renewable energy assumes a central role in global power systems. She noted that combining forecasting, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy planning can significantly improve grid resilience and reliability.
Meanwhile, Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, stressed that renewable energy systems inherently operate in harmony with natural conditions, making climate data increasingly indispensable as global installations expand at record pace. He called for closer cooperation between the meteorology and renewable energy sectors to embed climate forecasting into energy planning and operational strategies.
Both NCM and IRENA reaffirmed the importance of their partnership in transforming climate data into practical tools that support decision-making, improve solar and wind project planning, enhance operational forecasting, and protect energy assets from extreme weather.
The programme featured expert panel discussions, followed by a guided tour of NCM’s facilities, including cloud seeding operations, earthquake monitoring systems, and sustainable energy observation programmes.
NCM said hosting the event aligns with global efforts to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, reinforcing its commitment to leveraging climate intelligence to enhance energy security and protect renewable energy investments.
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