Martha Hoffmann completed a bachelors degree in Energy and Progess Engineering at the Berlin Institute of Technology, finishing with an internship and a thesis at the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW). After this, she spent an exchange semester at the Irkutsk State University (ISU) (Irkutsk, Russia), where she got to know apects of environmental management.
In her masters programme Regenerative Energy Systems, she worked on a student research project in the scope of the class Energy and Development Project, investigating decentralized interconnected energy systems (swarm grids). She presented her research at conferences and published her first scientific paper. In her internship at Oorja Development Solutions Limited in New Delhi (India) she got to know how to plan and implement micro grid projects in the context of electrification. The problems that micro grid operators faced at side defined the problem that Martha was adressing in her master thesis: She evaluated business models of micro grids facing interconnection with an unreliable central grid using an self-programmed open-source simulation tool (Offgridders). Martha wrote this thesis at the Reiner Lemoine Institute.
After completing her master's degree, Martha Hoffmann became a researcher at the Reiner Lemoine Institute. She worked as a project leader within the consortium of the H2020 research project E-LAND, in which the planning, implementation and operation of sector coupled local energy systems is investigated. In this scope, Martha lead the development of the open-source simulation tool Multi-Vector Simulator (MVS), attended conferences and supervised master thesises.
Optimization and planning of decentralized energy systems under consideration of social and energy justice aspects
With increasing decarbonization of the energy supply also increases the decentralization of the energy system, and requires adjustments of the energy market. As of today, the planning of these systems as well as potential market incentives and compensation for flexibility options is based on techno-economic analyses, in which social aspects are only mentioned on the sidelines. To preserve the acceptance of the energy transition, these social and socio-economic aspects should be added to energy system modelling. Special attention should be given the aspects of energy justice, and the danger of energy poverty.
Indicators that should be considered in a integrated energy system modelling will be determined with literature research and stakeholder workshops. The indicators will be used to create a tool for multi-criteria analysis, which can support the implementation of a socially just energy transition. The focus will be placed on the electricity and heat supply on community, and especially househould level. First, the current supply will be rated. Then, the impacts of future trends and reforms, including sector coupling, integration and compensation of decentral flexibility options as well as CO2 prices. Finally, potential measures to realize a just energy transition will be investigated, including the introduction of reimbursement payments for households with especially high energy burdens.
The research will result in recommendations for political stakeholders as well as operators of decentralized energy systems.