Designing a new ENergyERA
ENERA represents the next step in the energy transition: a value creation network made up of existing and new stakeholders in the energy industry.
Duration: January 2017 until December 2020
Funded by: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) as part of the funding programme “Intelligent energy showcase – Digital agenda for the energy transition”
Project Participants: EWE AG Institute of Networked Energy Systems 3M Deutschland GmbH Avacon AG Bilfinger Mauell GmbH BTC Business Technology Consulting AG devolo AG ENERCON GmbH Energy Research Centre at the Clausthal University of Technology energy & meteo systems GmbH EWE NETZ GmbH FGH IAGB mbH Jacobs University Aurich county Likron GmbH OFFIS e.V. PPC AG ProSyst Software GmbH RWTH Aachen University SAP SE SCHULZ Systemtechnik GmbH Siemens AG Software AG Stadtwerke Lingen GmbH TenneT TSO GmbH the peak lab. GmbH & Co. KG Theben AG University of Duisburg-Essen Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG Younicos AG
Project Manager at the Institute of Networked Energy Systems: Rasmus Völker
Project Description: The energy sector in Germany is currently undergoing significant changes. The transition from conventional energy sources to renewable energies poses numerous challenges to stakeholders in politics, industry and research. The ENERA joint project gives an overview of what the energy systems of the future could look like. The objective of the project is to connect energy digitally and enable the creation of a stable energy system optimised for the national economy. In the process ENERA also provides opportunities for new and innovative business models to emerge. Renewable energies in the network of ENERA’s model region of north-western Germany already generate 235 per cent of the region’s energy requirements. This makes the north-west a renewable energy power plant and an ideal model for the next step in the energy transition.
The Institute of Networked Energy Systems is working on two topics in the ENERA joint project: the Energy Systems Analysis Department is focusing on the topic of “transferring ENERA and anchoring it internationally”, and the Energy Systems Technology Department is working on “ensuring the technical flexibility of producers, consumers and storage systems”. The team led by project manager Rasmus Völker is analysing and evaluating the potential for flexible production, storage and use of energy. This also involves developing future operating strategies for the network using real flexibility options.
The work aims to develop a simulation model for the energy industry based on existing and future data from the energy-producing plants. The first step is to map the flexibility of electricity generation in wind power, photovoltaic and biogas plants. Both system-linked as well as environmental variables must be taken into account in the analysis. For example, the decentralised production of wind power from onshore and offshore wind farms is subject to weather-related fluctuations: these plants primarily produce electricity during strong winds; windless days however could be balanced out using storage options. The second step involves simulating a flexible energy system. Simulation of any such model in which production and consumption fluctuate requires not only knowledge of the plants’ technical features, but also a comprehensive examination of the environmental influences.
Further information on the Research Project ENERA: