Reducing energy and resource consumption and advancing decarbonization in an environment of ever-increasing regulatory requirements is the goal of manufacturing companies.

»Complex efficiency measures and projects require an efficient platform that not only manages measured values but also integrates structural data, such as system topologies or even model libraries. The objective of EnEffNet is to develop precisely such a platform and to test it using real-world examples.« Dr. Alexander Weber, Leading Consultant Energy Markets and Project Manager at ÖKOTEC

ÖKOTEC and Fraunhofer IPK, in cooperation with Mercedes Benz AG at the Berlin site and Daimler Truck AG at the Mannheim site, are developing and testing a digital networking platform for all relevant operating data within the new »EnEffNet« research and development project, thus enabling end-to-end management.

In the past, significant advances have already been made in increasing energy efficiency with the help of energy control solutions. However, with increasing complexity they are reaching their limits – both technologically and economically.

»Digitalization offers new opportunities for innovative energy and climate management. In the EnEffNet project, we illustrate that the two must be conceived together: Saving energy and resources is the reason and motivation for many manufacturing companies to drive end-to-end digitalization. This digital consistency, in turn, has a direct benefit for sustainable energy management of manufacturers.« Gregor Thiele, Head of the Process Automation and Robotics department at Fraunhofer IPK

EnEffNet builds on the energy efficiency software EnEffCo^® developed by ÖKOTEC and Fraunhofer IPK in 2013. EnEffCo^® can already be used to systematically record and evaluate energy data at a production systems and process level. Likewise, optimizations can be carried out and systems or machines can be controlled accordingly. In the new project, EnEffCo® is being expanded to include a networking platform that uses structural data to map the necessary interrelations, for example dynamic systems models, and links them with the »classic« measurement data of energy controlling. This is intended to enable and simplify the provision of specific applications to increase energy and resource efficiency.

In addition to applications for optimizing efficiency, the networking platform opens up numerous possibilities for a future-oriented use of energy-, machine- and systems-related data in the sense of an Industry 4.0 approach. Areas of application may be found for example in predictive maintenance, intelligent quality assurance or optimizing controlling processes.

EnEffNet builds on the EnEffReg research and development project completed in fall 2019. Here, promising results have been achieved for automatic systems control, which have subsequently been implemented at manufacturing companies. EnEffNet will also enable automatic control and management of systems according to efficiency criteria.

EnEffNet is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection and runs for three years. Funding reference: 03 EN4023A-D