Publications

C. Baumann, W. Wellssow, "Projekt ZellNetz2050 - Ein Zellularer Ansatz für Deutschland," Energieforum 2019 - Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar,presentation (Link)

B. Uhlemeyer et al., "Cellular approach as a principle in integrated energy system planning and operation," CIRED 2020 Berlin Workshop (CIRED 2020), 2020, pp. 58-61, doi: 10.1049/oap-cired.2021.0021.
Abstract: This study presents the cellular approach as the basis for an integrated energy system planning and operation. In the beginning, the terms energy cell and energy cell management are defined and it is described how the energy system can be formed into a cross-sectoral energy-cells-based system. Afterwards, a concept of a model is presented, in which the advantages of the cellular approach for the integration of decentralised flexibilities is examined.
URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9583025&isnumber=9582846

A. Schinke-Nendza, G. Blumberg and C. Weber, "A Novel Design for Electricity Markets based on the Cellular Approach," 2020 17th International Conference on the European Energy Market (EEM), 2020, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/EEM49802.2020.9221982.
Abstract: The increasing number of mainly small-scale renewable energy sources and sector-coupling units poses technical and market-related challenges in terms of a cross-sectoral market and system operation. The cellular approach (short: CA), based on the principle of energy subsidiarity, is considered a promising approach for the future energy system. In particular, the effort of data processing can be reduced effectively, since, exclusively (hierarchically) neighboring ECs are communicating. However, the design of an appropriate market structure has not yet been solved, especially in terms of achieving consistent pricing while limiting data exchanges between ECs. Therefore, this paper introduces a hierarchically organized electricity market design with decentralized operation elements for the CA. Based on the concept of independent system operators (ISOs) and important elements of the European regulatory framework, the approach unifies the technical advantages of CA with the economical ones of markets with independent system operators. Relevant market entities are presented and the governance structure of the ISOs is discussed.
URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9221982&isnumber=9221868

F. Flatter, W. Wellssow, "ZellNetz2050 - ein Entwurf für ein dekarbonisiertes Energiesystem," FGH Fachtagung 2021, presentation

F. Flatter et al., "ZellNetz2050 – Structure, Planning and Operation of a Cellular Energy System in 2050," ETG Congress 2021, 2021, pp. 1-6.
Abstract: The cellular approach (CA) is a novel planning, operational, and market principle tailored to address the specific technological and economic challenges arising from the extensive transformation of our energy systems. Current principles will likely not be adequate for the future energy systems with high share of renewable energies, new loads, and strong dispersion over all grid levels. In the CA, the energy system is divided into hierarchically ordered, cross-sectoral energy cells (EC). ECs optimize their own technology portfolio considering subordinate ECs with the aim to benefit the overall system whilst keeping the cost of energy low. To achieve this, ECs are embedded into a new market harmonized with the management concepts of the ECs enabling an optimization based on economic parameters. Verification of such a system concept requires an extensive simulation model capable to represent the energy system on all hierarchical levels and over a wide geographical area. This paper provides an overview of the system structure of a cellular energy system, the according market concepts, and the simulation model used for the analysis of the system concept.
URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9469525&isnumber=9469515

F. Flatter, C. Trossen, W. Wellssow, "Cellular Energy Systems - An Approach to Planning and Operating Future's Hybrid Energy Systems," Virtual 5th International Hybrid Power Systems Workshop 2021.
Abstract: The future’s energy systems will be hybrid systems comprised of fluctuating renewable energy sources, new loads, different storage technologies and sector coupling technologies providing flexibility dispersed geographically and over all grid levels. The rising number of active participants in energy systems makes planning and operating them more complex and increases the demand for adequate control schemes to ensure a reliable energy supply. This paper introduces the Cellular Approach (CA) or Web-of-Cells-Approach (WoC), a system concept specifically tailored to address the numerous challenges arising from the transformations of the world’s energy systems. The main principle is to break down the complexity of the whole system to manageable entities, delimited by grid levels and grid extension and ordered hierarchically, hence the name Cellular Approach. The cells locally optimize their technology portfolio, aggregate the results, and interact with neighboring cells. However, the aim of the Cellular Approach is not autonomy, but rather the ability to choose the most efficient way of energy supply out of a number of different options.

A. Schinke-Nendza, G. Blumberg, A. Khalid, C. Weber, "Regulatory and Policy Aspects for a Cellular Design of Electricity Markets," Virtual 5th International Hybrid Power Systems Workshop 2021.
Abstract: Future energy systems are facing an increasing number of mainly small-scale renewable energy sources (RES) and sector-coupling units. This change poses technical and market-related challenges in terms of consistens market and system operation across all sectors. The cellular approach (CA) is considered a promising concept to overcome these challenges. Since energy cells are communicated to interconnected neighboring energy cells exclusively, the of data processing can bei reduced effectively. Beyond the design of an appropriate electricity market strucutre, the question of integrating this concept into the status quo of the regulatory framework is a key issue. Therefore, this paper examines the relevant aspects of the regulatory and policy framework with regard to the integration of an electricity market design based on energy cells. The degree of correspondance of conformity of the proposed design with the key current European and national regulations is assessed. Relevant regulatory aspects are identified, and possible adoptions are discussed.

A. Schinke-Nendza, F. Flatter, H. Kramer, A. Khalid, B. Uhlemeyer, S. Rasti, C. Trossen, S. Mohammadi, D. Mayorga-González, U. Spanel, W. Wellssow, C. Weber, M. Zdrallek, P. Schegner, A. Kubis, "'ZellNetz2050' - A Concept for the Efficient and Effective Operation of Multi-Sector Web-of-Cells Energy Systems," CIGRE Sesseion 2022.
Abstract: The web-of-cells concept, or cellular concept, is an approach to mitigate the challenges arising from the transformation of energy systems, both from a technical as well as an economic perspective. The manifestation of this approach presented in this paper incorporates all system levels and takes the existing energy infrastructure into account, thus, it differs from low-level approaches focused on increasing autonomy as well as from green-field conceptual studies. The main principle remains unchanged from previous work: the energy system is divided into energy cells based on the extent of the energy infrastructure on each system level. These cells are ordered strictly hierarchically, limiting the direct technological and economic interaction mostly to vertically adjacent energy cells. A vertically complete market concept tailored to this decomposed energy system follows the web-of-cells idea by aggregating and disaggregating information on an intermediate level between end-users and the central market. Additionally, market and grid operation are no longer being viewed as separate, but rather as complementary tasks. Local marginal pricing is introduced to steer actors’ behaviours by providing economic incentives according to the grid congestion situation. To prove this system and market concept, an extensive and detailed simulation is being created. First results show that the system and market concept is suitable to match variable supply and energy demand and that local marginal pricing behaves as expected.