At the beginning of 2019, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) launched the ‘Real-world laboratories of the energy transition’ ideas competition. The aim is to test technical and non-technical innovations in the areas of sector coupling and hydrogen technologies, large-scale energy storage in the electricity sector and energy-optimised neighbourhoods in a real-life environment.
In the joint project with a total of 7 partners (FFE, Dechema, Agora Energiewende, WWU, TUM, Stiftung Energie und Umweltrecht), the overarching goal of the transfer research is to transfer the findings from the real-world laboratories with their industrial perspective to science (e.g. reflection of R&E issues), industry (e.g. identification of new business models), society (e.g. presentation of infrastructure requirements, presentation of the benefits of hydrogen on the path to climate neutrality) and politics (e.g. with regard to the changeover to climate neutrality). (e.g. identification of new business models), society (e.g. presentation of infrastructure requirements, presentation of the benefits of hydrogen on the path to climate neutrality) and politics (e.g. with regard to the interaction of various regulations). This also includes the identification of measures for the further development of suitable instruments to achieve the objectives of the funding initiative. Consequently, there is a need for an overall systemic categorisation and options for action that can be derived from this.
As part of the project, the ZBT is focussing on the technical analysis and comparability of the technologies of the real-world laboratories in the areas of generation, (grid-bound) distribution and application in order to create added value for the stakeholders and Germany as a business location. The necessary regulatory framework conditions are harmonised nationally and internationally, thus creating added value for German industry.
The project has a duration of 5 years and is funded by the BMWi.
