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Research & Technology Projects

Next Kraftwerke’s beginnings as a company can be traced back to research conducted at the university level, which is why we still have close ties to academia and are involved in many research projects, initiatives, and business partnerships. The following list details Next Kraftwerke’s involvement as initiator, partner, or participant in projects and initiatives, providing an overview of our research work on the energy transition.

Current Research Projects

GIS-MS

GIS-MS* is a joint research program funded by the regional Ministry of Economics of North Rhine-Westphalia and the European Fund for Regional Development. The project aims to develop a stationary, intelligent storage system, a so-called "hybrid UPS", to make local energy management and the integration of renewable energies as economical and grid-conserving as possible. The implementation is carried out in cooperation with AEG Power Solutions as well as the University of Paderborn, BatterieIngenieure GmbH, Hoppecke Batterien GmbH and Avasition GmbH.

Next Kraftwerke press release
*Secure industrial power supply systems in micro- and smart grids

FRESH

Together with Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), the OFFIS - Institute for Information Technology, and the University of Göttingen (Chair of Information Management), Next Kraftwerke is involved in a unique project called FRESH. The FRESH project partners are trying out new ideas for control reserve provided by batteries in electric automated guided vehicles (AGV).

Next Kraftwerke press release
HHLA press release

„Die Abrufe von Anlagen aus dem Verteilnetz stellen für uns einen wesentlichen Meilenstein dar, da sie zeigen, dass das Konzept praktikabel ist und wir nun erste Erfahrungen hinsichtlich der Praxistauglichkeit gewinnen können,“ erklärt Projektleiter Flori

DA/RE

DA/RE - the network security initiative for Baden-Württemberg - is a pilot project for the provision of redispatch capacities from decentralised, renewable plants for electricity generation as well as electricity storage facilities. Next Kraftwerke is implementing the project together with MVV Trading, sonnen, Entelios, the three distribution grid operators Netze BW, MVV Netze, Stadtwerke Schwäbisch Hall and the transmission grid operator TransnetBW.

Website of DA/RE To the press release of Next Kraftwerke (German only)

BE20plus

The BE20plus research project is a collaboration of several partners: the German Biomass Research Centre, IZES, the University of Stuttgart, the University of Hohenheim, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, and Next Kraftwerke are examining the economic potential of biogas assets beyond the 20-year subsidy period. The partners hope to identify and evaluate new business models while creating reference scenarios for the use of biogas in Germany’s energy transition. The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Press release introducing the project (in German)

SERENDI-PV

In the "Horizon 2020" project SERENDI-PV, Next Kraftwerke, together with more than ten other project partners, is researching how a large number of solar systems can be integrated into the European power grid in the future. The project focuses on improving the performance, reliability, lifetime, and profitability of PV systems on the one hand and, on the other hand, on improving PV feed-in forecasts. It started in October 2020 and is scheduled for a period of four years.

Project Website

Current Technology Projects

Battery pilot project with Eneco Belgium and Alfen

Next Kraftwerke has joined Eneco Belgium and Alfen, a battery supplier, on a pilot project that will see a two-megawatt battery integrated into the Virtual Power Plant. The battery will soon be providing primary control reserve (frequency containment reserve, or FCR) for the Belgian power grid. By permanently monitoring grid frequency, a real-time link to the Virtual Power Plant means the rapid power storage unit can be fully utilized. Press Release

Electrolyzer in our VPP with Greenpeace Energy

A hydrogen electrolyzer belonging to the public utility in the German town of Hassfurt is the first power-to-gas unit in Next Kraftwerke’s Virtual Power Plant. The facility, constructed in collaboration with Greenpeace Energy, converts excess wind energy into gas using electrolysis. The hydrogen produced in this process is stored in gas tanks and added to Hassfurt’s natural gas supply.
Hassfurt public utility project page (German)
Greenpeace Energy project page (German) Blog post on Hassfurt’s PtG project: A storm turns to gas

Completed Projects

Automated Demand Response for Air Conditioners

Automated Demand Response for Air Conditioners is an international demonstration project from the Japanese New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The project is scheduled to run until October 2019 in Portugal, and Next Kraftwerke is on board as questions about how air conditioners can be networked and made more flexible for optimal operation are explored. The project considers various parameters such as user restrictions (temperature levels) or technical restrictions of the AC units while analyzing a range of use cases such as power price optimization or grid-supporting measures.
More information about the project

BestRes

BestRes is part of the EU’s “Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme” that provides funding for the integration of fluctuating renewable energies that aggregate decentralized units. These include wind, photovoltaic, biogas, hydropower, and CHP in addition to storage technology and power consumers. The project launched in March 2016 with a time frame of three years. Next Kraftwerke in Cologne is involved in the project on behalf of Germany, Italy, and France, while Next Kraftwerke Belgium represents Belgium.
More information about the project

Press Contact

Lotte Lehmbruck

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50825 Cologne/Germany

Phone: +49 221/ 82 00 85 - 0

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