Advanced System Technology branch AST of Fraunhofer IOSB
Advanced System Technology branch AST of Fraunhofer IOSB

idFlexNetz

The research project idFlexNetz unites industrial, research and commercial enterprises to realize the vision of a marketplace for trading so-called digital twins.

idFlexNetz

Provision of digital “twins” for analyzing network utilization

The project

At the beginning of May 2022, VSE AG, together with renowned partners from industry, research and software/consulting, launched a digitization project for the energy sector. The aim of the research project idFlexNetz is to create digital models (“twins”) of existing grid operating resources in order to make them available to the market together with operational management algorithms.

 

The idFlexNetz project is developing a concept for a marketplace that enables an ICT ecosystem for the integration of digital twins, algorithms and software in a distribution grid for electrical energy supply based on the GAIA-X and International Data Spaces principles. Digitalization requires the creation of models to map the existing assets and algorithms for the operational management of these assets. The use of digital twins can increase the efficiency of grid planning and enable digitalized grid management. A marketplace reduces complexity by providing easy access to digital goods such as digital twins and ensuring their efficient application. IT security is a top priority and is guaranteed by a trust model.

The concept of idFlexNetz also includes the development of an ICT ecosystem based on the GAIA-X and International Data Spaces principles using the example of an electrical energy distribution grid. The project also involves the integration of digital twins of real assets from a low-voltage grid into the ecosystem.

The main components of the ICT ecosystem are connectors for connecting to the data space, the use of the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) to map the digital twins, an identity framework, ontologies for the semantic description of the digital twins and algorithms, and a marketplace for the digital goods. The idFlexNetz is testing the ICT ecosystem using selected use cases and is investigating not only the IT tasks but also various business models such as pay-per-use, subscription and as-a-service business models.

Solutions

idFlexNetz gives users easy access to digital assets while maintaining full data sovereignty. This enables efficient use and management of digital resources.

The use of current product versions and improvements to digital twins enables continuous development and optimization of assets.

The solutions from idFlexNetz help to accelerate and automate planning and approval processes. This is an important milestone on the road to digitalization, as previously manual activities can now be fully digitalized. This saves time and resources.

The idFlexNetz project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWiK).