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News 10 November 2021

Timely community paper reviewing FAIR metadata practices published

The academic paper reviews existing metadata practices in the domain of low carbon energy research and elicits recommendations for advancing FAIR metadata standards. 

Graphical abstract of the EERAdata community paper

The EERAdata project has published its first peer-reviewed paper entitled FAIR Metadata Standards for Low Carbon Energy Research—A Review of Practices and How to Advance. The paper synthesizes the outcome of the community work started in November 2020 with the FAIR and Open Metadata for Low Carbon Energy Research second series of workshops.

This report is a collaborative response from the low carbon energy research community on how to progress with the implementation of the FAIR guiding principles to ensure Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability of energy data. During the workshop series, participants reviewed and tested existing metadata practices in the energy domain, reflecting the perspectives of a broad range of energy data stakeholders. The discussions elicited challenges and recommendations for advancing FAIR metadata standards.

FAIR (meta)data practices enable the integration of low carbon energy solutions, most of which rely on the exchange of data. In this way, the energy transition is supported and opportunities to tap the potential of the knowledge economy are created. Recommendations include:

  1. Augment and synthesize existing metadata practices in the energy domain,
  2. Establish platforms that gather and document domain-specific metadata practices,
  3. Build a FAIR energy data network and foster long-term commitment,
  4. Develop a multi-year work program actively engaging low carbon energy data stakeholders, and
  5. Advocate for broadening funding programs and encourage industry funding.

To conclude, the EERAdata consortium and co-authors of the community paper aim at inspiring the readers to discover the largely uncharted territory of (meta)data practices in the energy domain contributing their essential grain of sand for making the clean energy transition and a carbon-neutral society possible.

Access the full paper at: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/20/6692/htm