Project - Smart Energy Platform

Background:
The energy value chain is subject to change due to the amendment of the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG) and the German Renewable Energy Act (EEG). Aforementioned change is shaped by the emergence of innovative concepts such as Smart Grid and Smart Metering. In addition to securing grid stability for an ever-increasing decentralisation of renewable energy sources and their delivery, focus is shifting towards improving transparency of energy consumption. The comprehensive rollout of smart measuring equipment and systems is intended to contribute towards timely feedback on actual energy consumption for customers. However, in the recent past it has become apparent that a sole visualisation of energy consumption did not spark a sizable demand for such solutions from customers. The lack of services offering a considerable added value besides automated consumption metering and billing, is seen as a critical factor for the sub-bar demand. A possible approach to tackling the issue at hand, is to not only improve transparency of energy consumption but also energy efficiency and energy savings by incorporating and integrating smart devices, making use of the growing prevalence of these devices and their ability to harbour sensors as well as providing the possibility of being managed by modern ICT solutions. In this context a holistic integration within fields closely affiliated with the smart home (for example energy, health, security, comfort and entertainment) facilitates digital value-added services for end customers and innovative business models for traditional energy suppliers as well as IT service providers.

Project goals:
In the course of this research project an open energy data platform will be developed for the efficient integration, processing and analysis of heterogeneous mass data and for the networking of smart devices. The aim is to consolidate data from different sources, gain information out of it and hence to achieve rule-based control of smart devices on the basis of the gained knowledge.

Using the Smart Energy platform, SMEs are thus given the opportunity to process data that was previously inaccessible or unusable. Based on this data value-added services can be developed and offered.

In this context the following subgoals are pursued:

Networking and rule-based control of smart devices
Development and provision of interfaces, data analysis procedures and services on the platform (enabling value-added services)
Analysis of individual electricity consumption by the end customer (increased transparency of consumption)
Conceptual support for SMEs in developing and providing their own value-added services on the platform (guidelines, best practices, business models)