Publication of dena’s EnerComputing study

Berlin, Germany, 18 July 2024.  Data exchange and data processing are key challenges of a renewable and decentralised energy system. dena published a study that highlights the potential of cloud and edge solutions as communication and coordination tools today.

Benedikt Pulvermüller, Director of Digital Technologies at dena, said: ‘An increased need for coordination and the increasing complexity due to a large number of central energy-efficient processes is leading to the increasing degree of decentralisation in the energy system. This study shows how cloud and edge architectures can meet the needs of future, highly automated, data-driven applications and how obstacles to the integration of both solutions can be overcome.’

Edge and cloud architectures represent two different concepts for making sufficient computing power available for certain applications in the required time and in a cost-optimised manner. The emerging dynamics in the distribution grid and energy markets can be well accommodated by a combination of cloud and edge computing from a technical perspective. Cloud infrastructures strengthen central processes, information management and decision-making, while edge systems offer customisation options in local contexts. This opens up new possibilities for data processing and data exchange along the entire energy supply chain from the grid operator to the end consumer.

The study shows that the integration of cloud computing and edge computing is still subject to a number of obstacles, particularly in the areas of data protection, data transfer, security and sovereignty, as well as cybersecurity. Uncertainties exist mainly in the areas of security, communication infrastructure and interoperability, and these need to be resolved through regulations, among other means.