The founding center UnternehmerTUM has launched the Energy Innovation initiative. It connects energy suppliers, grid operators, technology companies, and partners from the fields of mobility, heating, and research. The initiative was presented at the UnternehmerTUM Forum to numerous representatives from the business and startup community.
Germany faces the challenge of decarbonizing its energy supply. The expansion of renewable energy requires increased sector coupling to manage grid bottlenecks and rising energy prices. This is where Energy Innovation comes in: through close cooperation and implementation-focused collaboration, pragmatic and economically viable solutions are to be developed.
Johanna Bronisch, Head of Energy Innovation at UnternehmerTUM, emphasizes:
“To develop truly effective business models and scalable solutions for coupling between energy sectors and adjacent industries, cross-industry collaboration is essential. Energy Innovation provides a unique framework for productive exchange and proven effective, implementation-focused collaboration in a climate of trust. Together with our partners, we are developing tangible concepts and products in the shortest time possible.”
Digital innovations and AI in focus
The initiative is supported by founding partners Accenture and SAP and works closely with the mobility network of Digital Hub Mobility. Stefan Wager, Managing Director SAP Munich, explains:
“The long-standing collaboration between UnternehmerTUM and SAP has already produced a wealth of prototypes and product innovations for SAP. With this new initiative, we want to transfer this spirit of innovation to the energy sector and work together with strong partners and startups from our ecosystem on smart solutions. The integration of artificial intelligence will play a central role and open up many new applications.”
Numerous companies and research institutions are already part of the network, including Bayernwerk, BMW Group, E.ON Group Innovation, Ionity, EWE Netz, LEW, Maingau Energie, Octopus Energy Germany, Tennet, The Mobility House, TransnetBW, as well as the Research Center for Energy Economics and RWTH Aachen. The Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz is also patron of a current project on intelligently integrating electric vehicles into the power grid.
The projects follow a defined framework: within six months, project partners develop and implement solutions. Initial pilot projects have already shown promising results, including a power grid congestion forecast for grid stabilization, developed in collaboration with several grid operators. This solution will be tested in selected grids in summer.
