Partner

Project Prosumer-Lab

The Laboratory for Batteries and Storage Systems is responsible for the project management and the built up of the hardware for the Prosumer-Lab project. It organises quarterly meetings, prepares the reports for the SFOE and manages also the financial aspects of the Project. However most of the time has been invested into built up of the test bench.

Activities

Modelling and determining the characteristics of electrochemical storage cells therefore is essential for the successful use of electrical storage systems. It is also necessary to develop and test complete battery and energy systems. Therefore, several climate chambers in different sizes and battery charge and discharge units are available in the laboratory of the LBS.

The safe and correct use of electrical storage systems is ensured by battery and energy management systems (BMS and EMS). Among the most important functions of these systems are the monitoring of temperature, voltages and current, maintenance scheduling, optimisation of battery capacity, failure prediction and/or avoidance, as well as the collection and analysis of battery data.

The researchers specialising in battery management systems are also developing efficient and reliable hardware and software for the BMS and EMS. For this they test, develop and validate model-based software algorithms and hardware modules for a wide range of battery applications.

Project Prosumer-Lab

The Power Grids Laboratory investigates how decentralized feed-in influences the power quality. To emulate the behavior of a real power grid as realistic as possible, a line model was developed for the Prosumer-Lab. This line model allows an emulation of several cable types with a length of up to 200 m.

The Power Grids Laboratory group also examines the effect of an EMS on the grid stability. In collaboration with BKW, the distribution grid of Schüpfenried has been chosen as platform for modelling and simulation. Based on the grid data provided by BKW, the simulation model has been built using the power system analysis software PowerFactory from DIgSILENT. The simplified algorithms of several EMS were implemented in PowerFactory as well. This simulation model is now used to simulate the effect of an EMS on the grid stability in terms of voltage and loading, and how those EMS can be used to increase the overall grid stability.

Activities

Electrical energy is the key to efficient energy supply. The Power Grids Lab create knowledge to better understand the influences of devices on the power grid and how they interact. This allows us to support our partners in optimizing their power grids.

With our considerable measuring equipment we obtain a broad picture of the load profiles, the power quality and the oscillations in the distribution grids of our partners. With our validated models of the grid infrastructure and customer installations, we carry out reliable scenario analyses from which we can derive recommendations for the safe operation of electricity grids, for better utilization and for saving grid costs.

Project Prosumer-Lab

The core competencies of the dozen or so specialists working at the PV Lab include analysing the long-term behaviour of PV systems in terms of safety, reliability and energy output. Research on photovoltaic systems has been carried out at the Laboratory for Photovoltaic Systems (PV Lab) of Bern University of Applied Sciences in Burgdorf since 1988. Special emphasis is placed on inverters whose behaviour on the power grid is being investigated at the PV Lab.

Project Prosumer-Lab

The research group «Strategy, Technology and Innovation Management» (STIM) developed a quantified simulation model of system dynamics to investigate how a system of prosumers, utility companies, and associated incentives or regulations develop in the Swiss electricity market.

During this project, the researchers held more than 15 meetings with experts from BKW, to identify key factors that affect the business of that company, that represents a typical dominant Swiss utility company in its operating region. To address the research questions, STIM employed participatory approaches of acquiring knowledge, such as the nominal group technique, and group model building to include opinions and inputs from various experts.

Activities

The research group «Strategy, Technology and Innovation Management» (STIM) focusses on the development of management methods and tools for the analysis, modeling, simulation, and validation of corporate ecosystems.

The focus is on practical projects and publications on topics such as innovation diffusion, instruments for the development of digital strategies and innovation management, as well as the application of simulation methods.

Project Prosumer-Lab

The Energy Systems Group is responsible for the integration of commercial energy managers and their evaluation. The Energy Systems group is responsible for the integration and evaluation of commercial energy managers. In particular, the group deals with the adequate modelling and integration of heat pumps and batteries in the Prosumer-Lab test environment.

Activities

Our center focuses on industry-driven and application-oriented research with the goal of developing new PV system solutions and bringing them to technological maturity. Activities include the development of adaptive and predictive algorithms for energy management systems in houses as well as the management and optimization of the entire renewable energy chain. This also includes autonomous energy management systems for both buildings and entire urban districts.

Project Prosumer-Lab

BKW utilizes the Prosumer Lab to technically develop and optimize its products and services within the Home Energy Ecosystem.

Additionally, in cooperation with BFH, BKW has studied socioeconomic aspects of so-called prosumers. The focus lies in the analysis of how an increasing number of prosumers influences existing business models and how novel business models can be defined and developed.

Activities

The BKW Group is a Bern-based international energy and infrastructure company employing around 10'000 people. Its company network and extensive expertise allow it to offer its customers a full range of overall solutions. The Group plans, builds and operates infrastructure to produce and supply energy to businesses, households and the public sector, and offers digital business models for renewable energies. Today, the BKW Group portfolio comprises everything from engineering consultancy and planning for energy, infrastructure and environmental projects, through integrated offers in the field of building technology, to the construction, servicing and maintenance of energy, telecommunications, transport and water networks.

Home Energy is the modular one-stop Solution to produce and store solar power and to control its usage intelligently. As our customer, our consultants will accompany you from the beginning with the planning up to the successful commissioning… and beyond. The modular Home Energy solution is adapted to your personal needs locally and allows for the flexible use of your full solar power potential and an intelligent control of your own consumption.

Activities

The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) is the competence centre of Switzerland for issues relating to energy supply and energy use at the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC).

The SFOE:

• Creates the prerequisites for a sufficient, crisis-proof, broad-based, economic and sustainable energy supply.
• Ensures the maintenance of high safety standards in the production, transport and utilisation of energy.
• Creates the necessary conditions for efficient electricity and gas markets and an adapted infrastructure.
• Actively promotes efficient energy use, an increase in the share of renewable energy and a reduction in CO₂ emissions.
• Promotes and coordinates national energy research and supports the development of new markets for sustainable energy use and supply.

The SFOE supports the project Prosumer Lab within its pilot and demonstration program.