Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System TechnologyDigitization of sector coupling as a key to Hesse’s heating transition and the expansion of the Fraunhofer IEE’s laboratory infrastructure
The ERDF-funded investment project DigiSekHessianLabs strengthens the research infrastructure of Fraunhofer IEE at its Kassel site in two key areas.
In the first key area, the DistrictLAB laboratory environment is being upgraded to study sector-coupled district heating. The test facility enables component testing, the evaluation of new operating models, and the validation of software-based analyses such as digital twins. The focus is on the dynamic effects of fluctuating renewable energy feed-in and their impact on low-temperature heating networks and heat pump systems.
In the second focus area, the high-performance computing infrastructure is being expanded. Six CPU computing nodes, a high-performance GPU server, and a storage server have been procured, installed, and put into productive operation. The infrastructure enables computationally intensive simulations, distributed optimization methods, and AI training for the planning and operation of piped heat supply systems. Initial methodological results have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Energy.
The project contributes to the decarbonization of heat supply and strengthens Kassel as a research hub and collaborative platform for industry and research partners.