Numerous projects are dedicated to energy efficiency and the supply of renewable energies for residential buildings. In the FlexGeber project, by contrast, the project partners from research and industry are concentrating on various types of building in the areas of commerce, trade and services, and industry. Their aim is to investigate and quantify the potential of these non-residential buildings for increasing the flexibility of the electricity grid.

In particular, three case studies on the efficient supply of electricity, heating and cooling will be carried out within the framework of the project: two in industry, and one in the commercial, trade and services sector. The case studies will demonstrate novel heating and cooling technologies and their intelligent combination - always with a focus on energy efficiency and the intelligent combination with renewable energies. This way, the hidden potential of such measures for making the future energy system more flexible is to be made apparent. The coupling of the different energy sectors plays a central role for a flexible and secure energy supply based on renewable energies.

In the case studies, measurement and control technologies, for instance, as well as energy converters and storage systems will be identified, which will help to raise the flexibility of the energy supply in buildings. In addition, market and operator models will be developed at the sector interfaces for the system-oriented, economical operation of buildings at the municipal level. The results will then be applied to the energy system throughout Germany.

Results are expected on completion of the research project in December 2019.