How can energy efficiency projects become more attractive for external financiers? Since early September of 2017, the Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production (EEP) at the University of Stuttgart has been working with the Baden-Württemberg Climate Protection and Energy Agency (KEA) and the German Energy Efficiency Initiative (DENEFF) to develop standardization and pooling approaches for energy efficiency measures. In addition to the difficulty of accurate risk assessment and limitation, the pivotal challenge lies mainly in the small-scale nature of energy efficiency projects and the associated low project volumes (high risk and transaction costs). In collaboration with stakeholders, innovative solutions are being developed.
-> ACE: The Performance Database
Supported by: The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)
Duration: 10.2017 – 03.2019
Due to a highly heterogeneous structure, characterized by a large variety of processes and parts in electroplating technology, companies in the industry are finding it difficult to evaluate or compare the efficiency of energy and resource use compared to competitors. This leads to a low motivation to imitate measures of efficient companies, since the saving potentials are largely unknown. The Institute for Industrial Manufacturing and Factory Operation at the University of Stuttgart IFF, together with the Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production at the University of Stuttgart EEP, is developing a holistic and systemic methodology for an efficiency benchmark in which the different electroplating companies can anonymously compare themselves with each other. The aim is to provide the companies with feedback on the status of their handling of energy and resources.
The key figure-based analysis will show the participating companies the potential for energy improvements as well as the efficient use of resources. Weak points are revealed and concrete measures to remedy them are suggested.
Supported by: The German Federal Environmental Foundation
Duration: 03.2020 - 02.2022
The movement away from alternating towards direct current facilitates enormous efficiency advantages and energy savings in the supply of machines and systems. The aim is the demand-oriented distribution of energy within production plants with a maximum of energy reuse and a limitation of conversion losses.
In addition, the technically simplified integration of energy storage systems and regenerative energy sources as well as the system's inherent possibility of recuperation, like the recovery and usage of braking energy, offer new opportunities for intelligent energy management. To this end, the necessary methods to plan, introduce and use the industrial micro DC Smart Grid are being developed.
Any production supplied via the DC grid is unaffected by fluctuating grid quality and can flexibly adapt to fluctuating energy supplies. This contributes to stabilizing the energy grid.
Supported by: The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)
Duration Phase 1: 07.2016 - 09.2019
Duration Phase 2: 10.2019 - 09.2022
The main purpose of the project is to collect indicators concerning the efficient use of energy in manufacturing companies and to investigate the opportunities for a positive influence on corporations, e.g. by political influencers. Initially, qualitative case analyses will be used to gain an in-depth understanding of entrepreneurial practices and action impulses in relation to energy usage. Subsequently, a survey concept is developed and applied based on prior knowledge about energy technology, as well as relevant legal guidelines and empirically obtained influencing variables in order to derive definite recommendations and directions for the concerned parties.
Supported by: Ministry of Science, Art and Culture Baden-Württemberg
Duration: 10.2016 – 09.2018
In small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) energy efficiency potentials are utilized to a lesser extent than in large companies. According to a previous study by the authors, the keys to this are the integration of energy efficiency into the corporate strategy, a wide range of different measures and the involvement of employees and managers. According to this study, 61% of SMEs in Baden-Württemberg deal with technical-investment measures for energy efficiency, but only 35% focus on organizational and only 26% on competence-related measures. Thus, investment measures run the risk of not being used in a meaningful way and many behavior-related measures are not even addressed. To change this, the EEP promotes systematic and holistic, demand-oriented management of energy to increase energy efficiency in SMEs. Based on an inventory of strengths and weaknesses of, as well as demand for, energy management and qualification measures, a demand-oriented concept for energy management and guidelines for sensitization and qualification are being developed and implemented exemplarily in SMEs.
Supported by: The German Federal Environmental Foundation
Duration: 07.2020 - 06.2022
A power storage that can rival the capacity of batteries, which can be charged as quickly as a supercapacitor: the FastStorageBW project is working on a high-performance hybrid storage that combines the best of both worlds.
Long charging times could soon be a thing of the past. In cooperation with battery manufacturer Varta Microbattery and other partners, so called PowerCaps are being developed - a hybrid storage that incorporates the advantages of batteries and supercapacitors.
Supported by: Ministry of Economics, Labour and Housing Construction Baden-Württemberg
Duration: 01.2015 - 12.2017
The increasing portion of renewable energy, which is not equally available anywhere at any time, makes the flexible generation of electricity from CHP plants indispensable. In the "Galvanoflex" project, research is being conducted into how CHP plants can be controlled useful to the network and adapted to residual load and thus be operated useful to the network. The research project is aiming to implement the future role of CHP as a complementary and therefore flexible and residual load oriented supplement to volatile power generation of solar and wind power plants in industrial applications. Within the scope of the project, supplementary social science research is to be conducted on the options of implementation.
The eight partners EEP, REZ, eiffo eG, Fraunhofer IPA, C & C Bark GmbH, Hartchrom GmbH, NovoPlan GmbH and Plating electronics cooperate with the two associated partners Sales and Solutions GmbH and DiTEC GmbH to gain energy flexibility and a residual load adapted CHP plant.
Supported by: Ministry for Environment, Climate and Energy Baden-Württemberg
Duration: 05.2017 - 12.2019
The Energy Efficiency platform of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy links key stakeholders who contribute to the increase in energy efficiency in Germany. Since March 2015, the dena has been running the office of the Energy Efficiency platform with the Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production at the University of Stuttgart. The office provides the BMWi with technical, scientific as well as organisational support. Among others, the EEP supervises the corporation "Innovative Finanzierungskonzepte" (Innovative Financing Concepts). You can find further information on the inner workings of the Energy Efficiency platform on the BMWi website.
Supported by: The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)
Duration: 10.2016 - 04.2018
The waste heat, frequently generated by industry, is often released into the environment unused. The cultivation of crop production on factory roofs using industrial waste heat can make a contribution to the increase of energy efficiency. By integrating the production systems into the supply chains of the factory and the urban environment, it is possible to increase resource efficiency. As a starting point for a pilot project, a feasibility study will examine the capacities for this.
Supported by: Vector Foundation
Duration: 08.2016 – 12.2017
The flywheel mass power storage system HPS by Gerotor Ltd. is capable of significantly reducing power usage and connected load in dynamic processes. At the moment, the implementation of this storage system requires considerable effort in development and application in order to adapt it to the chosen application scenario and use it ideally. This research project therefore aims at being able to apply the HPS flexibly to every suitable machine, be it new or old, while avoiding additional project planning requirements in the future and thereby expediting the breakthrough of this technology. The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA and the Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production EEP of the University of Stuttgart develop and test a self-adjusting controller. Once we accomplish this, a variety of machine producers will be able to integrate the system into new machines and operators can upgrade older ones in accordance to energy efficiency. Thus, flywheel mass power storage systems can make a significant contribution to reducing energy usage worldwide, given a single comprehensive implementation. The project extends to a practical test executed by three associate partners. The Starrag Technology Ltd. will be validating new machines, while the EWS Weigele Ltd. & Co. will be testing the upgrade of tool machines in their function as machine operators. The thyssenkrupp Elevator corporation will be testing the self adjusting controllers in their elevators.
Funding Code 01LY1918A (Gerotor GmbH); Funding Code 01LY1918B (Fraunhofer IPA); Funding Code 01LY1918C (EEP University of Stuttgart)
Contact:
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Albrecht Dorsel - Project coordinator - Gerotor GmbH Lindberghstr. 5, 82178 Puchheim |
Sebastian Weckmann Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA Nobelstr. 12, 70569 Stuttgart |
Darian Andreas Schaab Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production EEP University of Stuttgart Nobelstr. 12, 70569 Stuttgart |
Supported by: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Duration: 09.2019 - 08.2021
Scientific preparation and analysis of the following partitions:
- Framework conditions for DMS
- Challenges for the market integration of DMS
- Possible solutions for a successful market integration of DMS
Supported by: Ministry for Environment, Climate and Energy Baden-Württemberg
Duration: 10.2014 – 11.2015
In order to guarantee a sound and stringent energy efficiency policy, the responsible Department II of the BMWi has a high demand for scientifically based advice and information processing. Under dena's consortium leadership, the EEP is involved in a framework agreement to provide advice on energy policy, heat and efficiency.
Supported by: The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)
Duration: 10.2016 – 04.2018
Providing the industry substantially with electricity from renewable energies and thus implementing the energy transition is the aim of the "SynErgie" research project, launched in September of 2016. Energy from renewable resources is not always at one’s disposal. Depending on season and weather, solar, wind or hydroelectric power plants produce varying amounts of electricity. In the project, the experts investigate how companies can design their processes and business structures in a way that allows energy consumption to adapt flexibly to the volatile energy supply. Therefore, the EEP is developing new approaches to operating energy consuming devices flexibly. The energetic flexibility potential of industrial use cases is determined by holistic analyses. In cooperation with renowned industrial partners, various flexibility measures are derived from this. For an energetically flexible factory, it has to be possible to transfer flexibility information from the machine to the energy market in a time conscious and continuous manner. Regarding these considerations, important framework conditions such as delivery dates or reasonable working hours should always be taken into account.
The German government is funding the SynErgie consortium with over 80 partners in the first three years with approx. 30 million Euros. Subsequently, two further funding rounds are envisaged for a total of seven years.
SynErgie addresses the industrial processes. Other focal points of the overarching research project "Kopernikus" are network structures or energy storage.
Video introduction into the Kopernikus project SynErgie (English)
Supported by: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Duration Phase 1: 09.2016 - 08.2019
Duration Phase 2: 11.2019 - 10.2022