Research Projects

The project develops a holistic system approach as a multi-domain solution for the Model-City Mannheim. This includes new business models and incentive systems. In this way it is intended to support the development of the energy economy towards a decentralised generation based on renewable sources of energy, energy storage and intelligent grids.

During the four-year project, the consortium develops and demonstrates an »intelligent model-grid« in a field test with up to 1,500 trial participants in Mannheim and a further field test in Dresden.

The integration of the changed processes via the value chain is realised using service-oriented software architecture. IP-based Broadband Powerline is used for communication.

The project provides new concepts as well as software services with open interfaces. By these interfaces operators of decentralised energy systems, end users, energy storage units (cooling loads, district heating systems, plug-in hybrids) and the respective power utilities can communicate with each other bidirectionally in a multi-domain environment.

Fraunhofer IEE (formerly ISET) will contribute the Bidirectional Energy Management Interface (BEMI) technology to the project and further develop the system towards mass application. Special attention is given to the development of a concept for international standardisation in the areas of communication interfaces and security.