Energy Informatics (EI)

The Energy Informatics department focuses on the application of computer science methods and processes in electrical energy grids. Based on the data that can be collected at various points in the energy network, detailed information can be obtained and new services can be offered on this basis.

Many households and industrial consumers are currently being equipped with smart meters. Intermediate plugs for energy measurement ('smart plugs') are also becoming increasingly popular among end users, as they are easy to install and also offer great benefits by making the costs of operating electrical appliances transparent.

Consumption data recorded with such measuring devices contains far more information than the monthly bill amount. The Department of Energy Informatics is therefore developing methods to extract this information from raw data and make it usable for value-added services. The innovative combination of signal processing and machine learning not only makes it possible, for example, to recognize existing appliances and their operating modes in a household, but also to make predictions about future energy consumption or identify unexpected consumption values.