AVALANCHE

AVALANCHE 
Applied Global Simulation of Renewable Energies on Internet:  
Removing barriers to RE by embedding powerful software into a social context  

Objectives of the project

The objective of the proposed project is to initiate an AVALANCHE for the presentation and use of relevant data for renewable energies (RE) on the Internet. The goal is to put away with the key constraints "lack of information" and "lack of know how" faced by RE today. Target groups are renewable energies data providers such as manufacturers of RE components - mainly small and medium enterprises (SME) - and international institutions with data pools on the "supply side", and users such as engineers, architects, building companies, schools and universities on the "demand side". RE addressed in this project include PV, wind energy, hydro power and biogas.

Technical Approach

The three-step-approach described below takes advantage of the Internet with several unprecedented innovative methodologies:

• The first step aims at developing an Internet Renewable energies Information System (IRIS): Through a standardised presentation of product specifications, meteorological and environmental data as well as economic indicators and incentive schemes for RE on Internet, a specific Internet Agent will be able to find all relevant data for the construction of RE applications in individual virtual catalogues of component manufacturers and decentralised data bases of international institutions.  

• The second step aims at developing a visualised internet-linked simulation tool for selected system types. It will calculate energy output, environmental impact as well as economic efficiency of RE. The simulation programme will hereby retrieve its input data straight from the Internet through links to the above mentioned IRIS.  

• The third step aims at linking a knowledge based systems to the above simulation tool. It will guide the user through the design of a PV-Diesel Hybrid system for rural areas, providing expert knowledge on technical, economic and environmental aspects straight from Internet.  

Parallel to these three steps, as fourth objective social studies will aim at embedding the simulation program on RE into the regional society and ecosystem by analysing target groups, operators and multipliers and then perform strategic project work and international case studies in regional societies.

Expected Achievements

AVALANCHE will initiate a standard product presentation for components of renewable energy technologies provided by each individual manufacturer on Internet.
Manufacturers will present their product catalogues in standardised homepages. Each manufacturer will continuously update his own homepage in his own interest to be present on the electronic market. More and more manufacturers are expected to join in.
The standard is a key to organised information retrieval and online-simulation of energy output, economic efficiency and environmental impacts of renewable energy technologies. Sociological studies and project work with potential users will ensure an adequate software development.

Ms. Britta Bäuerle  

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