Artifical Intelligence is accelerating the energy transition
To compensate for the fossil-fuel phase-out and meet the rising demand for electricity, the German government has set amitious targets in the field of renewable energy. These goals include the expansion of solar energy systems, an area in which progress is painfully slow due to the complex certification process, among other factors. CarbonFreed GmbH in MEldorf is aiming to accelerate this process - by combining the entrepreneurial spirit of a startup with the unique potential of artificial intelligence.
„We're currently limited to around 1,500 to 2,000 solar plants nationwide due to a backlog at the certification bodies - in other words, five gigawatts," calculates managing director Marko Ibsch. „But we need many times that, about 15 gigawatts and about 10,000 plats, to complete the transformation of the energy system in favour of renewables." This increase cannot be achieved with more staff alone. This is where CarbonFreed comes in: "Certifiers, grid operators, PV developers - everyone moans because the grid connection certification process is so complex, laborious and time-consuming that electrical engineers hardly have any time left to take care of planning, commissioning and certifying future installations. This is where we come in, by focusing on technology that can digitalise the grid connection process and thus the certification process for photovoltaic systems."
The challenge lies in the fact that for every solar system larger than 135 kW that is connected to the grid in Germany, project-specific proof of compliance with the requirements mut be provided - to ensure grid stability and avoid jeopardising system security. A large number of documents must be screened and inspected so the necessary calculations can be made. And since these work steps are extremely laborious, the inevitable result ist waiting times of serveral months.
Together with his team, Marko Ibsch took a deep dive into the respective processes in order to realise his vision. CarbonFreed GmbH, founded in 2021, is doing everything it can to bring its customers' plants online faster and lessen the burden on the certification bodies. „In our view, and based on our conviction and testing in recent months, we can safely say that AI is perfectly suited to this task. It can do the detective work in place of humans and thus free up skilled workers." CarbonFreed's AI algorithm takes care of the laborious searches that are an indispensable part of tracking down the the required information. By processing the information and carrying out a preparatory assesment, it leaves the engineers more time for the important final certifications decisions. „We reckon that, with our software, the certification bodies will be able to issue certificates six times faster in the fututre.“
Together with CAT Meldorf – a network partner at the AI Transfer Hub Schleswig-Holstein - and Jan Cornils, an innovation consultant at WTSH, they explored the possibilities of project funding and, specifically, the state government's AI policy. Renewable energy, AI know-how, value creation for Schleswig-Holstein - through its gridcert project, CarbonFreed is reflecting the core themes of the state's AI policy. The project has received almost 175,000 euros in funding from the state chancellery. „Without this funding, we couldn't have been able to get this project done in its current form," summarises Marko Ibsch. "We're now looking for smart prople an AI developers to bring the software to life and accelerate the energy transition with AI."
