Closed Projects
IEK-STE had a share in a multitude of projects within the realms of energy systems research.
Uncertainty Quantification (UQ), 2019 - 2022
Helmholtz UQ develops methods for a systematic analysis of uncertainties in data and models for various application areas. The project aims for a holistic analysis from the identification and quantification of uncertainties to a comprehensive assessment of their impacts in simulations and predictions. These methods are essential for the analysis of future energy system which will be based on volatile renewable energy sources. STE analyses the impacts of uncertainties in the operation and stability of electric power systems. More
Development, validation und implementation of Power-to-X-Concepts (Kopernikus P2X), 2016 - 2022
The aim of the project is the development and analysis of novel technologies that use electricity from renewable energy, water and carbon dioxide to produce material and energy sources for further use in the transport, energy and chemical sectors. This energy can thus be used in the form of tailor-made fuels for motor vehicles or in improved plastics and chemical products with high added value, thus significantly reducing the use of fossil-fuel based raw materials. A consortium of 18 research institutions, 27 industrial companies and three civil society bodies will develop new technologies to industrial maturity within ten years and thus contribute to the transformation of the energy system. More
Collective Nonlinear Dynamics of Complex Power Grids (CoNDyNet2), 2019 - 2022
The project CoNDyNet addresses fundamental aspects of stability, reliability and efficiency of future power grids. The participating research institutes combine basic sciences in the fields of dynamical systems and network science with laboratory experiments, scenario analysis and industrial applications. Within this project, IEK-STE investigates aspects of voltage stability and N-x-stability and analyzes empirical data sets on power grid operation. More
Helmholtz Initiative Climate Adaptation and Mitigation: Two Sides of the same Coin (HI-CAM), 2019 - 2022
The project combines HGF expertise in the research fields of energy and climate. It aims to draft scientifically based recommendations for action for decision-makers in politics and research. The cooperation between science and stakeholders is divided into three clusters: (1) Climate Adaptation, (2) Climate Mitigation and (3) Communication. The focus here is on the cluster Climate Mitigation, which focuses on the development of energy scenarios for a C-neutral Germany in 2050. More
Economics of Climate Change – Transformation of the energy system towards sustainability focusing on community-based activities (REsCO), 2018 - 2022
In Germany, major efforts have been made to achieve a sustainable transformation of the energy system. However, it is becoming more and more obvious that Germany will miss the GHG emission reduction targets set out in the "Energiewende" policy. In particular, in the "private households" sector, progress is slower than hoped for. In this project, new insights will be gained showing to what extent, by taking the social context into account, private households can be motivated to participate more actively in a transformation of the energy system. More
Center of excellence “Virtual Institute - Power to Gas and Heat” (KoVI SGW), 2018 - 2022
The center of excellence “Virtual Institute - Power to Gas and Heat” brings together the expertise of various research institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) to explore cross-sectoral flexibility options in the future energy system. Different Power-to-X technologies will be investigated analytically and on the basis of a jointly operated experimental demonstration plant. At an aggregate level, analysis is carried out which evaluates flexibility options responding to competing priorities, namely the energy grid, system and market. The work of IEK-STE focuses on life cycle and process chain-based assessments of environmental impacts and costs. More
Virtual Institute Smart Energy (VISE): Development of digital business models for a decentralized energy supply – Households, 2017 - 2022
Energy utility companies and energy service providers only have limited information when determining the energy demand of their customers, particularly households. A detailed analysis of the expectations and requirements of private energy consumers is essential for a successful technological diffusion and provides a platform for developing new business models. This project aims to analyze the readiness of households to invest in and use such new technologies. More
Energy System Integration - Models for the Energy Systems of the Future (ESI), 2017 - 2021
The challenge of energy system transformation requires, among other things, intelligent networking of the various components of our energy systems. The cross-sectoral interaction between the individual energy system components, such as producers, storage facilities, consumers and various transport systems, has not yet been sufficiently taken into account. For this reason, the Energy System Integration project focuses on the technological and economic interactions of energy system components. The aim of the research project is to design a stable energy system of the future which is environmentally compatible, flexible and uses resources efficiently. A special feature of the project is the integration of processes of the metalworking, cement processing and petrochemical industry. More
Integration of next Generation Biosurfactant Production into Biorefinery Processes (Bio²), 2017 - 2020
Bio² (Biosurfactant Biorefinery) aims at the development of a competitive biorefinery process for the production of rhamnolipids (RLs) and mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs). In the spirit of a sustainable bioeconomy, the process is based on waste products of the food industry. An inter-disciplinary approach is used to assess social-economic and ecological aspects along the entire production chain starting with new cultivation concepts through to the integration of downstream processing. More
Accelerating Low- carbon Industrial Growth through CCUS (ALIGN-CCUS), 2017 - 2020
The ALIGN-CCUS project brings together 30 science and industry partners from five countries in a shared goal to support the quick and cost-effective deployment of CO2 capture, use and storage. Within ALIGN-CCUS, a demonstration plant for CO2 separation and subsequent synthesis of the diesel substitute fuel dimethlyether from the separated CO2 and renewably generated H2 via electrolysis will be built. The use of this fuel for electricity generation as well as for transport is also being tested. On the basis of the real data of the demonstrated CCU chain, a technical-economic-ecological evaluation is carried out. More
Virtual Institute Smart Energy (VISE): Development of Digital Business Models for Decentralised Energy Supply – (Regional) Virtual Power Plants, 2017 - 2020
With a growing share of fluctuating renewable generation, the demand for flexibility allowing the balancing of electricity supply and demand increases. Virtual Power Plants (VPP) play an important role as an option to provide the required flexibility. The concept of VPPs is based on coupling decentralised units such as generation plants, storage systems and dispatchable loads. By aggregating and controlling the decentralised units, they become capable of providing demand-driven power supply. The project goal consists of identifying and analysing new digital business models in an increasingly decentralised energy supply system. More
Harmonization and development of methods for modelling of energy demands in spatial and temporal resolutions (DemandRegio), 2017 - 2020
The aim of the project is the development of harmonized methods for the transparent derivation of temporally and spatially resolved time series of the German electricity and gas demands. Based on extensive data research and the integration of available energy statistics, energy demand drivers are identified that allow both a temporal and a spatial disaggregation. In addition to an approximation of historical values, the project focuses on the development of forward-looking scenarios. The project contributes to the comparison of input data used in different approaches and to the reduction of uncertainty relating to data. This will enable a reliable comparison of different model and scenario results in the future. More
Energy System 2050 - Sustainability Assessment, 2015 - 2020
“Energy System 2050” is a joint initiative of the Helmholtz Association’s energy research field. It is aimed at improving the concrete understanding of energy systems and at developing technological solutions useful for policy makers and industry. The initiative explores the integration of key technological elements into the energy system and investigates solutions to integrate the partially fluctuating renewable energy sources successfully into German and European energy systems. Its five selected research topics address fundamental challenges of the Energiewende:
1. Storage and grids
2. Bioenergy
3. Hydrogen-based energy and resource pathways
4. Life-cycle-oriented sustainability analysis at system level
5. Toolbox and data models
More
Energy System 2050 – Storage and Grids, 2015 - 2020
Within the joint initiative Energy system 2050, we study future energy networks and storage systems. IEK-STE develops models for electric power transmission grids, gas grid and power plant unit commitment together with partners from several Helmholtz centers. In addition, we analyze the stability and robustness of power grids using analytic methods, numerical simulations and the analysis of empirical datasets. More
Efficiency, Emergence and Economics of Future Supply Networks (E3-NET), 2014 - 2020
The Helmholtz Young Investigator’s group E3-NET analyses the dynamics, stability and efficiency of future supply networks. We combine modern mathematical methods from network science and statistical physics with actual challenges of the energy transition. Which risks threaten the stability of our energy supply, how can we understand them theoretically and how can we avoid them? More
Trends of urbanization: the “Energiewende” in North Rhine-Westphalia and its implications for urban and rural areas (EnerUrb), 2018 - 2019
The research project “EnerUrb” targets the urban and rural implications of the “Energiewende” from a political, social, and cultural perspective with a specific focus on the water-energy-food nexus. It analyzes non-technical aspects of the “Energiewende” with regard to current trends of urbanization and aims to positively impact a transformation towards sustainable development. The project portfolio explicitly emphasizes participatory methods in order to engage local communities. These methods do not only allow for a deeper understanding of public values regarding current trends but also for an active integration of the general public into the research project as called for by the ‘science of transformation’ concept. More
Research Network for the Development of New Methods in Energy System Modeling (4NEMO), 2016 - 2019
The project aims at an extended integration of economic and social dynamics and related uncertainties into energy system models. For this purpose, existing models will be developed further in order to allow for a better comparison between models. Moreover, a model comparison exercise will be conducted. Respective results will be used to show strengths, weaknesses and comparative advantages of the different models and to improve transparency in energy-system modeling. More
Security of supply through the interaction of renewable and conventional electricity generation (Verekon), 2016 - 2019
The project compares different technology combinations of renewable and conventional power generation including storage with regard to a secured supply of 1,000 MW of electricity. The evaluation of technology combinations for the secure supply of the required capacity is carried out within a scenario process using the criteria of electricity production costs and specific CO2 emissions. More