“Power Charts” Information Platform Celebrates its tenth Yr as Reality Supplier for the Power Transition

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Can Germany meet its electrical energy demand with renewables? How a lot electrical energy is imported from nuclear and coal-fired energy vegetation? Will a photo voltaic eclipse result in a blackout? Ten years in the past, the Fraunhofer Institute for Photo voltaic Power Programs ISE launched the “Power Charts” information platform to objectify the controversy on the vitality transition. Immediately, the web site presents detailed interactive information not solely on electrical energy technology, local weather information, emissions and trade costs for Germany but additionally on the electrical energy technology for 42 European nations and the European electrical energy trade. This makes it one of the complete information platforms on the European vitality market at this time.

It began with a press launch: In 2011, the media warned of a blackout on the vacation Whit Monday as a result of grid feed-in from photo voltaic was excessive and the load low. Prof. Bruno Burger from Fraunhofer ISE was so aggravated by this that he started to compile information on energy technology in a set of slides. “I needed to make the controversy concerning the vitality transition extra goal by offering the general public with easy-to-understand information.”

From slide set to app

As a result of excessive demand for the information, the set of slides shortly grew to 280 pages. This gave rise to the concept of a web site on which vitality information might be flexibly uploaded and visualized in interactive graphics, permitting the guests to show the information as wanted. Beginning with information on energy, vitality and electrical energy trade costs, the web site was step by step expanded to incorporate information on photo voltaic and wind energy manufacturing, vitality imports and exports, local weather information, energy plant emissions and an interactive map displaying the put in energy vegetation.

Immediately, the Power Charts group attracts on 16 completely different information sources. The info is first cleaned after which ready to be used within the interactive graphics. To constantly enhance the platform, the group repeatedly performed person surveys and provided workshops concerning the website. New designs and information classes have been launched in two initiatives, funded by the German Federal Environmental Basis DBU.

The Power Charts web site now offers information in 4 languages (German, English, French and Italian) and for 42 European nations. The time decision has additionally elevated from weekly to day by day to quarter-hourly time steps. Forecast values are additionally out there for information reminiscent of anticipated electrical energy technology and electrical energy trade costs.

Since December 2023, the web site is supplemented by an app, known as “PowerSignal,” which exhibits the present share of renewables within the web public electrical energy technology for twelve European nations and the day-ahead electrical energy value for 34 nations. Homeowners of electrical automobiles, warmth pumps or good houses can use the app to handle their electrical energy consumption in an effort to use the greenest doable electrical energy combine. Main European family equipment producer BSH Hausgeräte GmbH, which owns manufacturers reminiscent of Bosch, Siemens, Gaggenau and Neff, is already utilizing the information from the PowerSignal app. The Fraunhofer group makes the information out there to all events on the web site and by way of an open interface (API).

Nice response from the media and the general public

Immediately, the Power Charts platform is among the most regularly used web sites for vitality information in Germany. Representatives from science, the media, politics and the vitality trade, however for essentially the most half, individuals within the vitality transition entry the information. The web site has round 100 million hits per yr and round 250 million graphics are delivered. Between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., the web site is accessed 200,000 to 250,000 occasions per hour.

Prof. Burger’s efforts to advertise the tutorial consciousness of the vitality transition should not restricted to the Power Charts web site. Every year he provides over 100 interviews, lectures and seminars informing individuals with the most recent details concerning the vitality transition. Round 400 media studies per yr cite information from both the Power Charts or from Prof. Burger straight. Greater than 7500 tweets with present vitality graphs have been posted on the platform X, the place the Power Charts platform has been out there since 2016. Immediately it has over 25,000 followers.

To handle the rising demand for a discussion board for trade on the vitality figures, the Power Charts Talks have been initiated in June 2021. The discussion board is open to all and takes place on-line in the beginning of every month. The present electrical energy technology figures in addition to the brand new capabilities and information are offered and mentioned. Every month round 100 to 150 contributors attend.

Courtesy of Fraunhofer ISE.