Digital energy. Towards comprehensive digital support for a renewable-based energy sector

To be able to limit the temperature increase to clearly under 2 ℃ above pre-industrial levels, the European Union and Germany in particular are facing profound change in their energy system in the coming years. The end of coal-fired power generation, the coupling of different sectors (e.g. electricity, heat, mobility…) and the associated digitization are confronting companies with changed market and framework conditions. In order to master this change towards a sustainable and reliable energy supply and to use it as an opportunity, innovative technologies and well-trained specialists and managers are needed. The combination of in-depth knowledge from the fields of energy technology with in-depth knowledge of digitization and its business models as well as IT security offers a unique opportunity to master these challenges in a sustainable and controllable manner. This paper addresses challenges arising from the digitization of the energy system and shows exemplary solutions from projects at the recently established Fraunhofer Center for Digital Energy.