NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is partnering with the Virginia Department of Energy to provide solar, meteorological and future weather risk datasets for energy system modeling and planning (NASA). The new Space Act Agreement was announced at a ceremony on Friday (NASA). Under it, the agency will lend its expertise in atmospheric sciences to Virginia Energy’s resiliency studies, resource analysis and long-term energy planning (NASA).
Key Facts
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Partners | NASA Langley Research Center and the Virginia Department of Energy | NASA |
| Agreement type | New Space Act Agreement | NASA |
| Data provided | Solar, meteorological and future weather risk datasets | NASA |
| Data source | NASA Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) data products | NASA |
| Stated purpose | Resiliency studies, resource analysis and long-term energy planning | NASA |
Timeline
- 2026-10-23: NASA published the announcement of the Space Act Agreement between NASA Langley and the Virginia Department of Energy, announced during a ceremony Friday (NASA).
Details (as Reported)
The agreement is meant to help state officials plan for current and potential extreme weather in Virginia and assess what it means for electricity demand, energy generation and system stress (NASA). The information can be incorporated directly into energy policy, planning and operational decisions (NASA).
Relevant data products from POWER, NASA’s Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources, will be infused into Virginia Energy’s modeling and analysis system (NASA). POWER supports the design of energy generation systems and the prediction of energy production, using validated data products from NASA’s Earth Science to Action program (NASA). Those products represent research and development across Langley, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley (NASA).
Through a digital pipeline, Virginia Energy can connect to Langley’s POWER web platform, download specific datasets and put them directly into its modeling tools (NASA).
“This collaboration with Virginia Energy will benefit the citizens of Virginia and provide stronger energy security for the Commonwealth,” said Allen Kilgore, deputy director of NASA Langley (NASA). Vince Maiden, director of Virginia Energy, expects it to “help us better understand how weather affects electricity supply and demand, identify vulnerabilities, and weigh resource tradeoffs with greater confidence” (NASA).
The partnership was fostered through NASA Langley’s Strategic Partnerships Office, which connects industry, academia and other government agencies with the center’s facilities, capabilities, specialized test environments and technical expertise (NASA).
What Is Not Yet Confirmed
- NASA’s POWER team members will work with Virginia Energy researchers to streamline the exchange, adjust formats and evaluate the need for additional data (NASA).