Innsbruck's prototype for a cross-linked energy system

Abstract

The amount of electricity from decentralized renewable energy sources fed into the distribution grid in the city of Innsbruck has constantly grown over recent years. Both local and national energy strategies promote a heavy expansion of renewable energies, especially photovoltaics and wind, in the next ten years. One unwanted side effect is that demand and supply become less controllable by grid operators due to the increase in generation from fluctuating sources. Flexible adaptation of consumption to the current generation and the use of storage are necessary measures to successfully integrate renewables into the energy system. To ensure cost efficiency, optimization based on the existing infrastructure should always be the first means of choice before a network expansion is carried out. Energy Management Systems, like the one used at the IKB-Smart-City-Lab, make it possible to automatically control and allocate cross-sectoral energy flows and cover short- and medium-term fluctuations. This reduces the need of grid expansion. In order to deal with seasonal fluctuations, additional technologies like hydrogen electrolysis systems can be integrated into the IKB-Smart-City-Lab.