Dear Sir or Madam,

As part of the German Copernicus-Project "Synergy", the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV is researching how industrial processes can flexibly adapt their energy consumption to fluctuating power supply in order to contribute to the integration of renewable energy sources.

To this end, an energy synchronization platform (ESP) for trading energy flexibility is being developed. The platform is not intended to be stand-alone, but rather to integrate existing platforms.

In order to better adapt the ESP to other platforms, I am creating a taxonomy as part of my bachelor thesis. This taxonomy contains different dimensions, which in turn consists of several characteristics. The examined platforms are then to be assigned to these characteristics.

Your platform was also considered in the process. However, I was not yet able to assign some characteristics. It would be very kind of you if you could answer the following questions:

• Dimension Communication: How many parties are involved in the communication?
• One-to-One: Platform communicates with only one partner (e.g., user).
• One-to-Many: platform communicates with many partners (e.g. devices)
• Many-to-Many: Devices communicate with the platform & with each other.

• Dimension Data flow: In which direction does the data flow?
• Unidirectional: Information flows in one direction (e.g. from device to platform).
• Bidirectional: Information flows in all directions (e.g., from device to platform and vice versa).

• Dimension Access: How can your platform be accessed?
• Web app
• Desktop app, mobile app
• API

• Dimension Pricing Model: Which pricing model do you apply for the use of the platform?
• Subscription (e.g., price per month/per device).
• Pay-per-use (e.g. price for a certain amount of data)
• Purchase (one-time payment)
• Free of charge

• Dimension Access requirements: Are there any prerequisites to use your platform?
• Free access, no prerequisites
• Certain prerequisites (e.g. can only be used with certain devices)
• Individual testing of customers

• Dimension Data storage: Where is data stored?
• Database
• Cloud
• On the devices

• Dimension Data processing: how is data processed?
• Transactional: collected data is used to trigger certain other processes.
• Analytical (Basic): data is used for analysis to generate basic insights
• Analytical (Advanced): data is used for advanced analysis to generate deep insights

• Dimension Data source: What data is processed by the platform?
• Device state: The platform processes local data of the connected devices (e.g. ID, charging state, etc.).
• Device environment: The platform processes data about physical environment of connected devices (e.g. ambient temperature).
• Device usage: the platform processes data about usage of connected devices by interaction partners (e.g. output data of devices)
• Cloud: The platform processes external data (e.g. energy prices) or company data (e.g. maintenance history).

You can simply delete characteristics that do not apply. Multiple selection is possible. If you need answers that are not listed, please add them.

I already thank you very much for your support!

If you have any questions, please contact me at any time.

With kind regards

Tobias Haubner

Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV

Am Technologiezentrum 2 | 86159 Augsburg | Germany