Markus Breig, KIT

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly helping to ensure the stable operation of electricity grids, improve the forecasting of electricity prices and use energy more efficiently. However, in critical infrastructure such as the energy system, AI should not be a black box – decisions must remain traceable at all times. Researchers at KIT have developed a new method that allows AI-based predictions for energy systems to be analysed with significantly greater transparency. Results published in Nature Communications. 

Prompt: Dr. Roberto Scipioni (SINTEF) /ChatGPT

Renewable energies require high-performance storage systems to stabilise electricity grids, make industrial processes more flexible and ensure security of supply. Through the European research project StoRIES, KIT together with partners from academia and industry, has advanced the development, provision and integration of energy storage systems – thereby contributing to strengthening Europe’s resilience and independence in energy supply. StoRIES has been successfully completed under the coordination of KIT.

Gabi Zachmann, KIT

About 75 percent of buildings in Germany were constructed before the first Thermal Insulation Ordinance went into effect. To retrofit this enormous number of properties for energy efficiency, housing companies, municipalities, and other building owners need reliable information on which to base their decisions. In the NaiS collaborative project, researchers from KIT have now developed a digital platform in collaboration with partners from academia and industry, where AI-powered applications analyze complex building data within minutes and identify renovation options.

The Helmholtz platform for the design of robust energy systems and their supply chains (RESUR) has entered its second phase, building on Phase I advancements in cross‑sectoral co‑simulation, integrated electricity‑gas‑heat modeling, and crisis‑oriented decision support for complex energy systems. RESUR II combines continued operational readiness for crisis response with expanded, validated system‑level analyses, including stronger sector coupling, scenario stress tests, and holistic resilience metrics to support robust energy and supply chain design.

ESD Topic 1 has released a milestone report on open models and FAIR data for energy systems analysis. It shows how open‑source tools, reusable datasets, and semantic harmonization help address rising system complexity. The report highlights FAIR data, collaborative modelling, and harmonised model outputs via the Open Energy Ontology. The models are all accessible through the Helmholtz Research Software Directory. These models enable transparent, comparable, and future‑ready energy systems analysis.

Shutterstock/Artem Grebenyuk

Ukraine must secure its energy supply under extreme conditions while at the same time planning for the long term. The “Green Deal Ukraïna” project supports this process through scientific expertise, lead by Susanne Nies at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin.