Denmark’s four technical universities are embarking on a groundbreaking four-year research project in collaboration with the utilities sector. This initiative aims to revolutionize the country’s energy system by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to create a flexible energy infrastructure, potentially saving billions of DKK in future investments.
With Denmark’s goal of achieving independence from coal, oil, and gas by 2050, significant investments are needed to transition and expand the energy system while accommodating increasing electrification. The project, named Flexible Energy Denmark (FED), seeks to address the challenge of balancing supply and demand for green electricity, particularly as renewable energy sources are weather-dependent.
Associate Professor Steffen Petersen, leading Aarhus University’s involvement in FED, emphasizes the importance of optimizing energy flexibility to reduce capital costs and enhance operational efficiency. He highlights the need to evaluate investments in energy savings versus energy flexibility, suggesting that prioritizing the latter may yield greater benefits in some cases.
Supported by a DKK 30 million grant from Innovation Fund Denmark, FED operates within Center Denmark, a collaborative initiative involving the four universities, EWII, and Energinet. This unique research universe in Jutland provides a platform for testing and scaling innovative energy solutions using real-world data, positioning it as a national digitalization hub.
Professor Henrik Madsen, leading the project at DTU Compute, underscores the significance of Center Denmark’s data resources in testing diverse energy systems and philosophies. FED, with its 28 stakeholder organizations, marks the inaugural major project at Center Denmark, promising to drive transformative advancements in sustainable energy for Denmark and beyond.
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