The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) is providing a total of €2.2 million in funding for the project ‘Developing flexibility through the use of dynamic grid fees, using the example of Stadtwerk Haßfurt’ (FlexNet Haßfurt). The aim is to use dynamic grid fees to promote flexible electricity use in households and businesses, thereby making an important contribution to a cost-efficient energy transition.
Of the total funding amount, around €775,000 will go to OTH Regensburg, which is responsible for project management. Together with partners from science, the energy sector and industry, the OTH team is developing new concepts for motivating electricity customers to behave in a way that benefits the grid through targeted price signals. The project will run until September 2028.
‘Our approach is not based on interventions or shutdowns, but on transparency and incentives,’ explains Prof. Dr. Oliver Brückl, project manager and co-director of the Research Centre for Energy Networks and Energy Storage (FENES) at OTH Regensburg. ‘Dynamic grid fees can help consumers shift their electricity consumption to other times of day, thereby actively contributing to reducing the load on the grids.’
Flexibility instead of grid expansion
The background to the project is the growing strain on electricity grids caused by the expansion of renewable energies, electromobility and heat pumps. Until now, grid operators have often responded to bottlenecks with short-term, cost-intensive measures such as curtailing plants or using conventional power stations. FlexNet Haßfurt is taking a different approach: flexibility on the consumer side is to be specifically tapped and made usable.
The focus is on the development of grid-dependent grid fees that vary depending on the utilisation of the grid. Low fees signal times when electricity can be used in a particularly grid-friendly manner, while higher fees indicate bottlenecks. Supported by intelligent control systems, customers should thus be able to adjust their consumption, for example in heat pumps, battery storage systems or industrial plants.
Role of OTH Regensburg
In this project, OTH Regensburg is developing a methodology for designing and evaluating dynamic grid fees in the medium- and low-voltage grid of Stadtwerk Haßfurt. A particular focus is on activating flexibility in both households and industrial companies and systematically integrating it into grid planning.A key focus of the research is the question of how reliable flexible electricity usage actually is. Not every response to a price signal can be planned equally well: while some companies can make binding commitments to reduce or shift their electricity consumption when necessary, households usually respond voluntarily, for example by using appliances when the grid is less congested. OTH Regensburg is investigating which part of this flexibility can be reliably planned and which part has more of a supporting effect. This knowledge is crucial for realistically incorporating flexibility into grid planning and comparing it meaningfully with traditional measures such as grid expansion.
‘Not every flexible response in the electricity grid is guaranteed to be available,’ says Prof. Dr. Oliver Brückl, project manager at OTH Regensburg. ‘Our task is to find out what grid operators can really rely on and where flexibility provides additional relief. This is the only way to decide whether flexible solutions can replace grid expansion or at least significantly reduce it.’
In addition, the team is analysing the interactions between dynamic grid fees and dynamic electricity prices. The aim is to avoid conflicting signals and to better align market and grid requirements.
From modelling to field testing
The theoretical concepts are not only simulated, but also tested in practice. A continuous signal chain is being created in the network area of Stadtwerk Haßfurt: from the formation of price signals at the network operator to communication and automated implementation for domestic and industrial customers. Intelligent algorithms are designed to independently control end devices in such a way that they save costs and at the same time relieve the grid.
Another focus is on coordination between grid operators of different voltage levels in order to use flexibility options efficiently and without conflict. ‘FlexNet Haßfurt combines technical innovation, economic evaluation and regulatory perspectives,’ summarises Prof. Dr Oliver Brückl. ‘Our goal is to create practical solutions that demonstrate that flexibility can be a central component of a stable, affordable and sustainable energy system.’
Project partners
In addition to OTH Regensburg and the FENES research centre, the consortium includes the University of Passau, Institut für Energietechnik IfE GmbH, Stiftung Umweltenergierecht, Stadtwerk Haßfurt GmbH, TTTech Deutschland GmbH, Bayernwerk Netz GmbH, the Association of Municipal Companies (VKEV), the Federal Association of Energy Storage Systems (BVES), the Federal Association of New Energy Economy (BNE), Viessmann Holding International GmbH, SEtrade GmbH, Consolinno Energy GmbH, Easy Smart Grid GmbH and Maintal Konfitüren GmbH.
