About the project
The DirectGreenEnergy4Trains research project aims to drive forward the decarbonization of traction current by developing a controllable, virtual traction current power plant based on renewable energies. The focus is on feeding wind and solar power as well as other sources of renewable energy directly into Deutsche Bahn's 110 kV/16.7 Hz traction power grid, without the detour via the conventional power grid. This represents a technological milestone, as there is currently no market-ready solution for feeding renewable energy sources directly into this specific grid level. The starting point of the project is a case study in the town of Warburg (NRW), where such a power plant is to be built. The region has a suitable grid connection as well as existing and planned wind and solar power plants, supplemented by a biogas plant and a hydroelectric power plant. The aim is to design a virtual power plant with a feed-in capacity of around 50 MW that uses a Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) to meet the specific, highly dynamic load requirements of the traction current grid - especially during short-term peak loads caused by trains starting up or braking. The project partners are jointly developing technical models, operating strategies and Business Studies concepts to implement such a system. A key challenge here is the modeling and simulation of aggregated load profiles at grid level 1 and the integration of battery storage systems, fuel cells and possibly biogas cogeneration plants into a controllable overall system. These are supplemented by emulations in the CoSES laboratory at the Technical University of Munich and by field tests with real components. One particular aspect of innovation is the development of a cross-organizational, digitally integrated operating model: the quantities of energy fed into the grid come from systems operated by different operators and must nevertheless be controlled and coordinated in real time. In addition, integration into the traction current grid requires new converter technologies and special grid control strategies. In addition to the technical design, business models are also being developed to ensure long-term economic viability. The project thus provides the basis for the actual realization of a pilot power plant in Warburg, which will serve as a blueprint for further green traction power plants in Germany. By consistently publishing data and models as open data, DirectGreenEnergy4Trains is also actively contributing to knowledge transfer in research, industry and society - with high relevance for the energy transition in the transport sector.