CoupleIT! – IT-Supported Sector Coupling for Electricity and Hydrogen Networks
The expansion of renewable energy sources places increasing demands on the storage and demand-oriented provision of electrical energy. Hydrogen can play a key role in this context as a storable energy carrier. A prerequisite for this is an intelligent coupling of the electricity and gas sectors that enables stable, secure, and efficient operation even under fluctuating energy generation conditions.
The CoupleIT! project involves the construction and investigation of an integrated energy system consisting of an electrical island grid and a hydrogen island grid. The two grids are coupled by a reversible fuel cell–electrolyzer system. This so-called REDIBEL system can convert electrical energy into hydrogen by means of electrolysis and, when required, use the stored hydrogen to generate electricity with the help of a fuel cell. Digital control and communication methods coordinate energy generation, storage, and utilization.
The project is divided into the two interconnected subprojects SmInT-Grid and InDiS-Zelle. While SmInT-Grid focuses on constructing and testing the coupled electricity and hydrogen system in a laboratory environment, InDiS-Zelle addresses the development of internally digitally controllable fuel cells and electrolyzers. The objective is to improve the dynamic behavior of the coupling components and enable them to respond more rapidly to changes in the participating energy networks.
One focus of the Chair of Computer Science in Mechanical Engineering is the development of a predictive digital twin of the energy system. The digital twin combines information on the system structure, operating states, and energy profiles in a data-driven model. Neural networks are used to learn characteristic energy profiles and predict future system states. Bayesian methods additionally enable the uncertainty of the predictions to be estimated. The developed models are validated using measurement data from the real laboratory setup and continuously improved.
By connecting the real energy system with its digital twin, different grid configurations, operating strategies, and application scenarios can initially be investigated virtually. This facilitates the transfer of the findings to other stationary and mobile applications. CoupleIT! thus contributes to the intelligent integration of renewable energies and the development of a digitalized, hydrogen-based energy supply.
Project duration: January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2026
The CoupleIT! project is funded within the framework of the Center for Digitalization and Technology Research of the Bundeswehr (dtec.bw).
Project Management
Prof. Dr.–Ing. Detlef Schulz
Helmut Schmidt University / University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg
Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Chair of Electrical Energy Systems
Letzte Änderung: 30. September 2026