EUSPA expands Copernicus user-base with new demonstrators

Copernicus is the Earth Observation programme of the European Union offering a huge potential for the EU economy. It is already used by many institutional players, delivering reliable tailor-made services for public users across various verticals. The challenge remains to engage the other users, mostly the private sector, and enable wide scale use of Copernicus data by private entities and EU citizens. 

According to EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, in 2023, the global revenues from EO data and value-added services amounted to €3.4 billion, by 2033, the overall revenues of the global EO data and value-added services market are projected to reach nearly €6 billion. Although, projections indicate a consistent EO market growth in the next 9 years, the full potential of Copernicus capabilities is still to be unleashed. EUSPA is actively working to fill the challenges posed by the EO market, playing a key role in increasing the use of Copernicus data among other users and, at the same time, creating a sustainable competitive EU space sector. 

The EUSPA approach is multi-fold, encompassing different key activities such as fostering the development of innovative Copernicus-based solutions, actively support through CASSINI New Space companies and data analytics suppliers to reach out to new segments of customers, and engaging directly with private sector stakeholders, especially in those sectors that are not using Copernicus today.

The EUSPA focus is private users who are not aware of what Copernicus data can do for them, prioritizing high growing market segments such as Insurance and Finance, projected to increase from around €340 million in 2023 to becoming the leading contributor to global EO revenues in 2033, reaching almost €900 million. Insurance and Finance are one of the EUSPA priorities in the Copernicus Demonstrator initiative.

Through Copernicus Demonstrators, EUSPA is working with private sector stakeholders and EO companies on demonstrating the value of Copernicus data through six innovative Proof of Concepts (PoCs), covering different priority market areas and explaining the benefits of integrating Copernicus in real-life operational scenarios in the user environment. The initial Phase of the Copernicus Demonstrator explored 10 market areas including Insurance and Finance, Tourism, Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Energy and Raw Material, Mobility, Infrastructure, Aviation, Emergency and Maritime, providing key insights on the contribution to the Copernicus data to these segments and directly engaging with private sector entities. Then, 6 priority demonstrators were selected based on several factors, including, impact, business model and demonstration, usability and scalability.

EUSPA is working with OHB Digital for the Aviation, Emergency and Maritime areas and with CGI Czech Republic for Energy, Aquaculture and Insurance and Finance demonstrators, engaging with important private stakeholders such as Lufthansa, and Viacqua, Greenvolt – Energias Renováveis S.A, Seaweed Solutions and Raiffeisen Bank and others. More in detail:

• Aircraft Emission Measurement and Monitoring: Implemented by S[&]T, this PoC involves aviation stakeholders like environmental inspection agencies and airport operators (e.g., Lufthansa).
• Emergency Preparedness and Early warning of Floods: Implemented by Waterjade, this PoC includes municipalities, hydropower companies, water utilities, infrastructure companies, and grid operators (e.g., Viacqua and the City of Essen). 
• Autonomous Navigation and Ship route optimization: Developed by OHB LuxSpace, this PoC targets ship owners and operators, port authorities and insurance companies.

"This project is key to demonstrate the value of Copernicus for the users in the private sector, integrating the data directly in their operational processes and showcasing the advantages in their business routines." says Danijela Ristić-Durrant OHB Digital project manager.

• Identification of renewables acceleration areas for Energy sector: Implemented by Xilbi Sistemas de Informacion, this PoC involves stakeholders such as Portugal’s Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia (LNEG) and Greenvolt – Energias Renováveis S.A., 
• ESG monitoring for green financing and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) reporting, implemented by CGI Czech Republic and involving banking and insurance users such as Raiffeisen Bank, Moneta, CSOB, and others,  
• Seaweed farming implemented by EOMAP and involving users such as Seaweed Solutions and DEME Group.

‘The Copernicus Demonstrator Project is very important to showcase the industry it is possible to integrate Copernicus in everyday business operations in the Banking and Insurance sectors providing clear benefits to the users,’ says Kristýna Žáková, CGI Czech Republic Director Consulting Services for Space.

Through the project, business users will leverage Copernicus data directly integrated in their workflows to increase their operational efficiency and reporting capabilities in a seamless way.

‘EUSPA Copernicus Demonstrators are targeting important market sectors such as Insurance and Finance where Copernicus usage is still limited today, therefore greatly contributing to Copernicus user base expansion’, highlights Fiammetta Diani, Head of Market Downstream and Innovation at EUSPA.

For more information about the benefits of Earth Observation and Copernicus data across various market segments you can consult the EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report.

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