The switch to renewable energies is leading to an increase in decentralised energy systems, both commercial and private. At the same time, increased generation capacity must be maintained in order to compensate for volatile dips in renewable generation. This leads to an increased load on the grid due to possible power dips and load peaks, which cannot currently be compensated for by sufficient grid expansion.

The aim is to find suitable options (rule-based or algorithmic approaches) for the operational management of decentralised energy systems using the existing networking of the systems. The flexibility of the individual systems is utilised to ensure that operation is as grid-friendly as possible. This includes the provision of positive or negative balancing power as well as the offer to withdraw or store energy. The operation of the individual systems must take place within legal, economic and technical framework conditions and harmonise the interests of the system operator and grid operator.

The resource-saving technology principle of combined heat and power (CHP) is used in micro block-type thermal power stations (MBHKW). These are "mini power plants" for private households that use a petrol engine to convert natural gas into heat and electricity. The electricity can either be consumed in the household or fed into the energy grid for a fee.

Within the scope of this research project, monitoring software is to be designed for MBHKWs that send their measurement data (temperatures, gas consumption, engine speeds, etc.) to a central database, which is later accessed by a Java server. The clients connect to the server and thus have the possibility to visualise and analyse the temporal behaviour of the systems.
When MBHKWs are considered as a "virtual power plant" in conjunction with wind or PV, their group dynamics are in the foreground. In order to achieve efficient overall utilisation of all systems, a central computer must monitor and control all demand and production. It decides which plants produce how much electricity and when, or whether electricity is overproduced and fed into the grid at peak demand times for a higher fee. As a virtual power plant can only function if there is a financial incentive for each participant in this network, this leads to a multi-stage, discrete optimisation problem with numerous constraints, which must be solved in real time using intelligent control algorithms.

The use of CCS (carbon capture and storage) technology offers a promising alternative for reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. With this bridging technology, the CO₂ contained in flue gas, which is produced during combustion processes in power plants, among other things, is permanently stored in geological underground formations. For safety reasons, the impermeability of the underground storage facilities must be permanently monitored and any leaks detected.

The aim of the research project is to develop a monitoring system with which the CO₂ concentrations in the ground above the storage area can be automatically recorded, evaluated and visualised. Modified standard measurement procedures are combined with state-of-the-art sensor technologies (intelligent sensors, multi-sensor systems) and measurement methods.

Modern digital production printing is characterised by the fact that there is no printing form (master) and it is therefore possible to print each page differently. The variable costs per page are typically higher than with traditional printing, which is why digital printing is particularly interesting for short-run scientific prints, invoices or personalised advertising. Production often takes place in printing lines that contain the necessary finishing equipment such as folding, stitching, binding or cutting machines in addition to printing presses.

Unfortunately, the degree of automation of industrially used digital printing lines lags far behind the technical possibilities known today, although there are strong arguments in favour of better integration of the devices from a business perspective. Ten years ago, an industry consortium developed a manufacturer-independent automation concept based on IEEE-1394 (Firewire), which was unable to establish itself in practice despite the lack of alternatives.

The specially developed automation concept provides for the parallel use of standard Ethernet and CAN bus. Furthermore, a new type of remote control concept was developed that can be transferred to other areas of automation and has clear advantages over known solutions. Its strengths lie in the user-friendly operation of production lines, whereby no individual integration effort is required for new device combinations. A migration solution based on an embedded Linux was developed to enable mixed operation of devices with previous and new communication solutions within a printing line and to test the concept as part of a reference implementation. The hardware and software used was designed in-house and has proven its worth.

Software systems for solving automation tasks are often developed as single-purpose systems and are difficult to adapt to other problems. However, numerous functionalities (e.g. visualisation of measured values, device configuration, user administration) are always required. Application frameworks offer the possibility of implementing these core functions in isolation from the actual problem. The JAVA framework OMaCS (Online Management and Control System) was developed for the creation of internet-based monitoring and automation systems. Combined with a plug-in concept, the individual applications can be expanded and adapted as required.

The basic framework offers the storage of user and measurement data in a database as well as a client-server architecture, which makes it possible to view the data via the Internet using a PC or mobile phone. Basic aspects of data security (e.g. access protection, encryption) also play an important role here.