Model City Mannheim - MoMa (Mannheim - Germany)
Model City Mannheim (MoMa) was a pioneering project in Germany, carried out from 2008 to 2013, that was created in the scope of the country’s E-Energy funding programme. It connects every household in the city to a smart energy network (a smart power grid) that maximises renewable energy use.
The project deploys an “Energy Butler”, a device that monitors daily power consumption and supply patterns and then feeds this information through smart energy meters to a central system that analyses how much electricity is being used on which tasks, where, and when. This data can be used to take advantage of variable power tariffs, programming home appliances to switch on in periods of plenty renewable energy and lower prices.
Broadband Power Lines (BPL) communication technology, provided by Power Plus Communications, was used to connect every house in the city to the smart power grid, sharing data on power quality and the current status of the grid, for instance. Cisco provided smart grid routers and switches.
The network is designed to maximise the use of renewable energy, boost energy efficiency and be as cost-effective as possible. Several corporate and industrial businesses also connected their cooling facilities and air conditioning systems to the project to benefit from its many advantages.
Sources:
http://www.energydigital.com/sustainability/german-model-city-mannheims-smart-grid
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/19/tech/smart-grid-mannheim/index.html
http://www.gridinnovation-on-line.eu/articles/library/model-city-mannheim-moma.kl
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/intl_tv/2015/02/19/spc-tomorrow-transformed-electricity-gribs.cnn
Improved Energy management.
Description of the specific objectives:
- Improve energy management in the city’s homes;
- Promote the use of renewable energy sources.
City of Mannheim, Power Plus Communications, and Cisco.