Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CoastObs (Commercial service platform for user-relevant coastal water monitoring services based on Earth observation)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2018-11-01 do 2021-04-30
Coastal zones are very productive areas, offering many valuable habitats and ecosystems services and attracting human settlements and activities. The intensive concentration of population and excessive exploitation of natural resources puts high pressure on coastal ecosystems leading to biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, pollution as well as conflicts between potential uses and space competition. Several European directives aim at sustainable management of coastal waters, retaining or restoring a high ecological status and safeguarding ecosystem services. Increasing pressure and stricter regulations increase the need for efficient monitoring solutions. Where traditional in situ sampling is insufficient to characterise the highly dynamic coastal environments, Earth Observation (EO) provides a synoptic view and frequent coverage. With the launch of the Copernicus Sentinel satellites, operational water quality services become a business opportunity.
The overall objective of CoastObs is to develop a commercial downstream service platform for monitoring and reporting of coastal water quality based on Earth observation. Work is ongoing to develop and validate innovative EO-based products based mainly on Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3: monitoring of sublittoral habitats and intertidal areas, phytoplankton size classes, primary production, and detection of harmful algae. A particular focus of the project lies on turning the satellite-derived geophysical data layers into higher-level information products that satisfy the users’ information needs, such as trend analysis, indicators for environmental reporting or integration with predictive models. To ensure that the products developed are of added value to the users, CoastObs is working closely with public and private organisations from various sectors (water management authorities, aquaculture producers and organisations, port authorities). CoastObs is establishing sustainable supply chains that can be directly integrated into the users’ systems.
An efficient data structure is being set up that will allow to derive new information products and create new services with less effort than before. The combination of more efficient product generation and multiple use of the same satellite data will lower the cost of services for the users and therefore stimulate their uptake.
The overall objective of CoastObs is to develop a commercial downstream service platform for monitoring and reporting of coastal water quality based on Earth observation. Work is ongoing to develop and validate innovative EO-based products based mainly on Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3: monitoring of sublittoral habitats and intertidal areas, phytoplankton size classes, primary production, and detection of harmful algae. A particular focus of the project lies on turning the satellite-derived geophysical data layers into higher-level information products that satisfy the users’ information needs, such as trend analysis, indicators for environmental reporting or integration with predictive models. To ensure that the products developed are of added value to the users, CoastObs is working closely with public and private organisations from various sectors (water management authorities, aquaculture producers and organisations, port authorities). CoastObs is establishing sustainable supply chains that can be directly integrated into the users’ systems.
An efficient data structure is being set up that will allow to derive new information products and create new services with less effort than before. The combination of more efficient product generation and multiple use of the same satellite data will lower the cost of services for the users and therefore stimulate their uptake.
CoastObs worked throughout the project with users, to obtain their requirements and in later stages feedback, to make sure we were developing user-relevant products. We had over 20 users, 13 of them being very active.
We were working on 4 use cases with different water types, different issues, different user groups.
In total CoastObs further improved 5 basic products, and developed 3 innovative products and 6 higher level products. We set up a platform with demonstration data, which contained 11 different EO-based timeseries and 14 layers relating to mussel growth and shellfish food. Next to the products, a training module was developed.
Our users rated our services with a 6.3 and the project moved from a technology push to a user pull: the main additional requirement of all users was more data, longer periods and larger areas, which is a very positive sign.
The results were published in 10 scientific articles, 9 professional publications and 1 white paper. CoastObs was also very well visible on social media, conferences and workshops, and some topics appeared in local and national newspapers and on TV. The total estimated audience of all outreach is > 400 000 persons.
CoastObs is ready for the commercial phase: we have an MoU in place to arrange co-operation after the project and next to the sale in the project already one service is sold for after the closure of the project phase.
We were working on 4 use cases with different water types, different issues, different user groups.
In total CoastObs further improved 5 basic products, and developed 3 innovative products and 6 higher level products. We set up a platform with demonstration data, which contained 11 different EO-based timeseries and 14 layers relating to mussel growth and shellfish food. Next to the products, a training module was developed.
Our users rated our services with a 6.3 and the project moved from a technology push to a user pull: the main additional requirement of all users was more data, longer periods and larger areas, which is a very positive sign.
The results were published in 10 scientific articles, 9 professional publications and 1 white paper. CoastObs was also very well visible on social media, conferences and workshops, and some topics appeared in local and national newspapers and on TV. The total estimated audience of all outreach is > 400 000 persons.
CoastObs is ready for the commercial phase: we have an MoU in place to arrange co-operation after the project and next to the sale in the project already one service is sold for after the closure of the project phase.
• CoastObs ensured the user uptake of EO-based services by matching user requirements with product and system development. To start, extensive requirements questionnaires were carried out in personal meetings, covering content, quality, service and technical requirements of 17 users.
• CoastObs developed 3 innovative and 6 higher level products that go beyond readily available data and services from CMEMS and other core services.
• CoastObs enables the low-cost production of services to serve a variety of customers by setting up an automated producting infrastructure, and to facilitate the generation of higher level products from standard products. Also matching users from the same region reduces the amount of effort to produce the products per user.
• CoastObs created user familiarity and acceptance of EO-based information products stepwise: an initial product and service portfolio showcased the capabilities of EO for coastal monitoring, explaining the benefits and limitations of EO data. The product documents that were than produced based on their own requirements contributed significantly to the interest of the users. The final demonstration case documentation materials, e-training and success stories lead to more acceptance in a broad user group. In the final user questionnaire 57% of the users responded that EO data should be allowed for environmental reporting purposes is an important step towards acceptance.
• The final user questionnaire responses highlighted that the CoastObs service has moved from ‘technology push’ to ‘user pull’. The constructive criticism and requests for more products are very positive indicators for the future demand of the CoastObs service and the business case.
• CoastObs was branded and new users were included. CoastObs attended conferences and workshops relevant to the respective user communities to learn more about the user needs of the different user communities and spread information about the CoastObs products and services. A wider audience was targeted by social media, newsletters and participation in exhibitions.
• CoastObs is prepared to deliver service products directly into user systems, however, automatic integration into their systems was not a priority for the current user-base. Therefore a web-portal that allows downloads was set up to demonstrate CoastObs data. We expect that as the users get in this way more familiar with the data, there might be interest in direct integration into their systems.
• CoastObs wrote a marketing and business plan including an initial market analysis, a description of the services and service levels, an analysis of competition, the economic feasibility, the business approach and financial forecasts. The Product and service portfolio and the success stories are used extensively to attract potential users.
• CoastObs wrote a joint White Paper “Satellite-assisted monitoring of water quality to support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive”, targeting those authorities being involved in the WFD definition and protocol developments.
• CoastObs' deliverable ‘Discussion document CMEMS core and downstream services’ concludes that the gap between the core service offer(including the May 2021 updates) and what users require still offers opportunities for downstream services such as CoastObs. The progress beyond the state of the art is centered on algorithms for optically complex waters, tuned locally for the case study areas if needed. The development of user-required products by CoastObs can also provide bottom-up feedback for the CMEMS services.
• CoastObs developed 3 innovative and 6 higher level products that go beyond readily available data and services from CMEMS and other core services.
• CoastObs enables the low-cost production of services to serve a variety of customers by setting up an automated producting infrastructure, and to facilitate the generation of higher level products from standard products. Also matching users from the same region reduces the amount of effort to produce the products per user.
• CoastObs created user familiarity and acceptance of EO-based information products stepwise: an initial product and service portfolio showcased the capabilities of EO for coastal monitoring, explaining the benefits and limitations of EO data. The product documents that were than produced based on their own requirements contributed significantly to the interest of the users. The final demonstration case documentation materials, e-training and success stories lead to more acceptance in a broad user group. In the final user questionnaire 57% of the users responded that EO data should be allowed for environmental reporting purposes is an important step towards acceptance.
• The final user questionnaire responses highlighted that the CoastObs service has moved from ‘technology push’ to ‘user pull’. The constructive criticism and requests for more products are very positive indicators for the future demand of the CoastObs service and the business case.
• CoastObs was branded and new users were included. CoastObs attended conferences and workshops relevant to the respective user communities to learn more about the user needs of the different user communities and spread information about the CoastObs products and services. A wider audience was targeted by social media, newsletters and participation in exhibitions.
• CoastObs is prepared to deliver service products directly into user systems, however, automatic integration into their systems was not a priority for the current user-base. Therefore a web-portal that allows downloads was set up to demonstrate CoastObs data. We expect that as the users get in this way more familiar with the data, there might be interest in direct integration into their systems.
• CoastObs wrote a marketing and business plan including an initial market analysis, a description of the services and service levels, an analysis of competition, the economic feasibility, the business approach and financial forecasts. The Product and service portfolio and the success stories are used extensively to attract potential users.
• CoastObs wrote a joint White Paper “Satellite-assisted monitoring of water quality to support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive”, targeting those authorities being involved in the WFD definition and protocol developments.
• CoastObs' deliverable ‘Discussion document CMEMS core and downstream services’ concludes that the gap between the core service offer(including the May 2021 updates) and what users require still offers opportunities for downstream services such as CoastObs. The progress beyond the state of the art is centered on algorithms for optically complex waters, tuned locally for the case study areas if needed. The development of user-required products by CoastObs can also provide bottom-up feedback for the CMEMS services.