Energienetz Adlershof

Energienetz Adlershof is a smart district energy network serving Berlin's Adlershof science and technology park, one of Germany's largest integrated centres for research, business, and media. The project encompasses the planning, operation, and continuous optimisation of a local energy distribution system that supplies electricity, heating, and cooling to the district's 1,200+ companies, 16 research institutes, and six Humboldt University departments. By managing energy flows at the district level rather than relying solely on the city-wide grid, Energienetz Adlershof achieves higher efficiency, greater integration of renewable sources, and more resilient supply than conventional centralised approaches. The network incorporates combined heat and power generation, solar photovoltaic installations, battery storage systems, and intelligent load management to balance supply and demand in real time. Smart metering infrastructure provides granular consumption data for individual buildings, enabling demand-side management strategies and helping tenants reduce their energy costs. During periods of surplus renewable generation, excess electricity is stored or redirected within the network, minimising waste and reducing reliance on fossil-fuel backup capacity. The project works in close coordination with other Adlershof energy initiatives including the Smartgrid-Allianz and the Gläsernes BHKW, forming an integrated cluster that demonstrates how district-scale energy systems can serve as building blocks for city-wide decarbonisation. Research partnerships with Fraunhofer institutes and Humboldt University ensure that the latest innovations in energy management, grid optimisation, and sector coupling are tested and deployed within the network. Energienetz Adlershof aligns with Berlin's Gemeinsam Digital smart city strategy and its climate neutrality targets, providing a scalable, replicable model for intelligent local energy systems that other European technology districts and urban quarters can adopt.