eGo^n - Open cross-network level and cross-sector planning tool to determine the optional use and expansion of flexibility options in Germany

The eGon research project represents the further development of the open_eGo project. In this project, a transparent, cross-network planning instrument for the electricity system was developed to determine economically favorable network expansion scenarios, while considering alternative options in flexibility.

The planned expansions include the coupling of the previous power grid model with requirements and flexibilities within the areas of gas, e-mobility and heating as well as the integration of further electrical flexibilities such as demand management and overhead line monitoring. The creation and application of a planning tool that can map the advancing sector coupling enables the determination of an energy system which is optimized in terms of total costs. This allows cross-sectoral synergies for the energy system of the future to be considered and examined. Accordingly, it is important to use many different flexibility options in terms of investment and operational efficiency and to examine their effects on the electrical network. Due to the immense complexity of modeling, innovative methods must be developed to adequately reduce the spatial and temporal dimension. Here, the conflict of goals between computational effort and modeling accuracy is a central research topic. 

This follow-up project will continue to pursue the promising open source and open data strategy in order to make the data and methods available under a suitable open license. This is intended to explicitly stimulate later recycling by various interest groups, such as network operators, authorities, politics, and scientists.

The Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF) participates in the project, as part of the Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (ZNES), in the expansion of the existing open-source tools for power system planning with regard to sector coupling, especially in the heating sector. The EUF contributes expertise in open-source modeling, the energy industry and the mapping of the heating sector. Among other things, the EUF will also provide geographically and temporally high-resolution heat requirements.