Scientific support of a concept, pilot and guideline in the context of energy sharing

In a collaborative energy system, energy communities use smart digital technologies to optimise their collective self-consumption and provide flexibilities that serve the overall system.

Energy sharing is part of a general sharing economy trend. It is a consequence of the liberalisation of the energy market, which the EU Commission has been pursuing for a long time. National and international studies suggest that energy sharing reduces energy consumption and increases the acceptance of energy transition measures. The EU Commission has recently pushed the introduction of energy communities in two directives. These directives are to be transposed into national law in all EU countries. An "energy community" is a group, usually an established organisation (cooperative, company), of individual actors (citizens, companies, public institutions) who voluntarily accept certain rules in order to act together in the energy sector.

The project comprises the scientific support of the development of a concept, piloting and guideline creation in the context of energy sharing. The objective is to develop and scientifically accompany an energy sharing pilot project in Germany that optimises the collective self-consumption of an energy community through the intelligent use of local flexibilities, while taking into account the market- and grid-serving integration into the overall system.

Based on a broad stakeholder dialogue, a guideline with recommendations for action for the implementation of energy sharing in Germany and its integration into the German energy system will be developed.

Building on the results of the previous study"Analysis of the environment for digital technologies in energy communities"the topic of energy sharing is studied scientifically and the implementation status in Germany and the EU is analysed. Supported by a stakeholder workshop, the analysis of the implementation of energy sharing is followed by drafting the objectives and core questions for the following trial phase.

Subsequently, a pilot energy community will be selected from the German landscape according to criteria such as relevant requirements and core questions. Scientific support is provided on the basis of a methodology designed for this purpose and includes three workshops with various stakeholders (representatives of different energy communities, associations, energy suppliers and distribution grid operators, digital experts, technology providers, etc.). The results will be incorporated into a guideline for energy sharing in Germany.