Energy Informatics

While the Fukushima event led to a particularly strong change in energy policies in Germany, resulting in the so-called Energiewende, or energy transition, the trend toward renewables is visible worldwide. Here, we outline how major challenges of the energy transition have led to a strong need for essential contributions from the computer science community to maintain stability and security of supply, particularly for the electric power grid. As a result, the new discipline of Energy Informatics has emerged which is addressing this highly interdisciplinary and dynamic field of research and development. In tomorrow's energy system, electric power will be provided mainly by photo-voltaic modules on rooftops and in larger field installations, and by wind power plants, onshore as well as offshore. Being weather-dependent, this energy supply is inherently volatile and only partially controllable.