Reduction of energy consumption of prosumers (ProSuffizienz) Data collection, analysis and visualisation to support sufficiency in prosumer households taking into account sector coupling

Allotment gardeners show how it's done: they harvest part of what they need every day to live. The situation is similar with energy production. More and more households not only consume energy, but also produce it themselves - they are prosumers. Many of these households use the power of the sun to do so. Their own photovoltaic system not only supplies the washing machine and the refrigerator, but is also increasingly being used to charge an electric car or for heating by means of a heat pump.

According to the German government's plans, 80 percent of electricity consumption is to be covered by renewable energies by 2030, and primary energy consumption is to be reduced by 30 percent compared with 2008. To achieve this, the number of prosumers will have to rise sharply in the coming years.

Private households have a key role to play in this. It must be ensured that prosumers use the electricity they generate themselves sparingly, i.e. behave sufficiently. However, this is not easy in view of increasingly complex economic and ecological conflicts and the supposed inexhaustibility of renewable energies.

The ProSuffizienz research project will analyze the consumption behavior of homeowners with photovoltaic systems in a scientifically sound manner. Prosumers with battery storage, e-cars and/or heat pumps will also be included. Based on this, the research team will develop strategies, information and a new narrative for efficient and sufficiency use of energy in private prosumer households. The results will be specifically prepared for different actors, so that energy consultants, system planners, companies and, last but not least, prosumers and people interested in solar systems can better assess their consumption behavior and adapt it in line with the energy transition. Among other things, the project is developing a "prosumer mirror". This is intended to show prosumer households where they stand with their electricity consumption compared to others. The increasing sector coupling will also be taken into account, and in particular the average consumption of heat pumps and electric cars and their influence on self-consumption will be shown.