The climate-neutral energy system of the future, with a large number of consumers, storage facilities and decentralized energy plants, will be intelligently connected to form a smart grid. Prosumers - a blend of producers and consumers - will play a central role as microgrids, managing energy production and consumption locally while cooperating with the overall system at the same time,  benefitting both sides.

The IEN research group at Offenburg University develops and investigates local energy-management solutions and overall coordination mechanisms, especially focusing on:

• Grid-friendly operation of microgrids with storage facilities, sector coupling and flexibility provision
• Monitoring and automation for buildings and energy systems (using SCADA, bus systems, among others)
• Energy data analysis and energy system modeling using machine learning
• Predictive energy management with model predictive control and mathematical optimization
• Generation and load forecasts 

The research on energy systems and grids is done in both simulations and real systems, with the INES Institute operating a microgrid as a real laboratory for the development and validation of new methods, models and algorithms.