06/2026 Presentation of STORE Research at the International Conference on Smart Energy Systems

Presentation of STORE Research at the International Conference on Smart Energy Systems

On 22–23 September 2026, Jiahe Chu from the Institute of New Energy Systems (InES) at Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt presented research from the STORE project at the 12th International Conference on Smart Energy Systems in Aalborg, Denmark. The conference brought together researchers and experts from industry to exchange knowledge and discuss recent developments in smart energy systems, energy efficiency, electrification, and sector coupling.

The presented work, titled “Design and Evaluation of A Sector-Coupled Energy Management System for Supermarkets as Flexible EV Charging Hubs,” focuses on the development of an integrated energy management approach for supermarkets and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Supermarkets offer significant potential for flexible energy management. In addition to their existing refrigeration and heating systems, the increasing integration of photovoltaic generation and EV charging infrastructure creates new possibilities for coordinating energy consumption and making better use of available flexibility. Within the STORE project, we investigate how these different components can be intelligently connected and operated as part of an integrated energy system.

The presented research introduces a sector-coupled Energy Management System (EMS) that coordinates supermarket heating and cooling systems with smart EV charging. The approach considers both V1G smart charging and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) operation and makes use of flexibility from refrigeration systems, thermal storage, and building inertia. By coordinating these resources within a common control framework, supermarkets can make more efficient use of their energy infrastructure while also providing flexibility to the electricity grid.

The International Conference on Smart Energy Systems provided an excellent opportunity to present our research to the international scientific community and exchange perspectives with researchers and industry experts working on smart energy systems, electrification, energy efficiency, and sector coupling.

For STORE, the conference was a valuable opportunity to share our latest research activities, discuss approaches for integrating supermarkets and electric mobility into future energy systems, and gain new perspectives for the further development of the project.