Energy Metadata Management to Establish FAIR Data as a New Standard

Open Science implies sharing data for the reuse in other research context. For data to be reusable, it needs proper documentation, which is usually done through metadata. Metadata and its management are a critical component of ensuring that energy data is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). Metadata is information about data, such as its format, origin, and purpose, that helps users understand and use the data effectively.
One of the key challenges of managing energy data is the variety of sources, including sensors, simulations, and experiments. This means that the data may be in different formats, with different levels of detail, and with different levels of quality. Metadata help to standardize and harmonize the data, making it easier to find, access, and use them.
Another key benefit of metadata management is that it allows energy data to be more easily shared and reused. By providing detailed information about the data, including its provenance, quality, and limitations, metadata management helps to ensure that the data is used appropriately. This is particularly important in the energy sector, where data is often used to guide policy and investment decisions.
The use of standard vocabularies and ontologies is beneficial for describing the available research data in a consistent way, making it easier to search and retrieve them.
In conclusion, elaborated metadata management in a way described above, is an essential component of ensuring that energy data is compatible with the principles of FAIR.
The Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration (HMC) is an initiative that provides support for researchers within the Helmholtz Association to create, manage, and use metadata effectively and to establish FAIR data as the new standard for working with data in science. The HMC provides services, advice, and training on how to identify and apply appropriate metadata standards and schemas, how to design and implement metadata workflows, and to develop strategies for data discovery and reuse.
The HMC can support researchers in various ways, such as:
1. Standard and schema identification: The HMC can help researchers to identify the most suitable metadata standards and schemas for their research data, and to apply them correctly. This will ensure that data can be easily discovered and reused by others.
2. Metadata workflows: The HMC can assist researchers in designing and implementing metadata workflows that are tailored to their specific research needs. This can help to ensure that data is properly described and indexed, and that metadata is created in a consistent and accurate manner.
3. Data discovery and reuse: The HMC can help researchers to develop strategies for making their data discoverable and reusable by others. This includes creating metadata records, depositing data in repositories, and making data available through data catalogs or research data management platforms.
4. Tool and service integration: The HMC can support researchers in integrating their metadata with other data management tools and services, such as data repositories, data catalogs, and research data management platforms. This will help to ensure that data is easily discoverable, accessible, and reusable.
5. Providing training and support: The HMC offers training and support to researchers to help them create, manage, and use metadata effectively. This is done by offering a variety of workshops, webinars, and one-on-one support.
Overall, the HMC aims to foster a culture of good data management practices within the Helmholtz community and to support the discovery, access, and reuse of research data across the Helmholtz association. The HMC is committed to help researchers in their metadata management processes, and to make sure that their data is discoverable, accessible, and reusable by others. Six metadata hubs according to the Helmholtz association's six research areas have been established to meet the specific needs of the respective communities. This presentation is given by the Hub Energy to communicate the HMC's efforts and offers for the research data in the field Energy and to its research community