O´netzt

Semantic modeling and ontology integration in the energy domain of SWM

O´netzt

In the project with Stadtwerke München (SWM) Infrastruktur GmbH & Co. KG, a cross-divisional, ontology-based knowledge base for the utility network is being developed. The goal is to systematically identify technical assets, signals, connections, and locations, and to automatically consolidate data from different sources—even when they use divergent or domain-specific naming systems. Through the use of semantic technologies, particularly ontologies, a uniform and machine-readable representation of network resources is created. This enables the consistent identification and linking of information across system and departmental boundaries, improves data consistency, and establishes a robust foundation for planning, operations, and the further digitization and automation of network processes at SWM.

Project description

As part of the project, fortiss is supporting Stadtwerke München (SWM) in the application of semantic technologies for modeling power grid resources. Drawing on extensive cross-industry experience in the development of ontology-based, formal description languages, fortiss is providing scientific and methodological guidance for the project. The goal is to develop a structured, standardized, and interoperable knowledge representation for resources and selected processes in the power grid.

The project involves the ontology-based modeling of power grid resources. To this end, key grid components are examined from a technical perspective, systematized, and analyzed in terms of their technical and operational characteristics. Building on this, a semantic model is being developed for the standardized description of resources, which integrates, for example, business management systems such as SAP as well as georeferenced data from GIS applications.

Another focus is the technical analysis of the DIN EN IEC 81346 standard with the goal of semantically classifying grid resources according to their classification structure. In addition, interoperability between different description systems is being investigated, and a methodological approach for mapping and harmonizing existing models is being developed.

Research contribution

The scientific support covers general aspects of the use of semantic technologies, in particular:

Best practices in ontology development
Evaluation of the expressive power of various description languages, as well as trade-offs between expressiveness and the efficiency of inferences
Infrastructures for the persistent storage of knowledge models, as well as interfaces for semantic queries to knowledge graphs
Evaluation of the practical applicability of semantic technologies
Approaches to automated consistency and quality checking
Approaches to natural language interaction with knowledge graphs using large language models

Scientific contribution

Domain-specific modeling of technical power grid resources using ontologies.
Comprehensive evaluation of the use of semantic technologies in the context of digital network infrastructures and data integration.

Funding

Stadtwerke München (SWM) Infrastruktur GmbH & Co. KG

Project duration

28.04.2025 - 31.12.2027

Contact

Dr. Markus Duchon

+49 89 3603522 30 duchon@fortiss.org