ZellSys" project

ZellSys - Cellular energy supply for the transformation of energy supply in suburban areas

Project management and coordination:	Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Joachim Seifert
Client:	BMWE (FKZ: 46SKD186X)
Project partner:	Chair of Networked Energy Systems
Duration:	10/2022 - 03/2026
Links:	https://zellsys.de/de/ LinkedIn
DOI short report:	https://doi.org/10.25368/2026.051

Brief description

On March 31, 2026, our project ZellSys - Cellular Energy Systems, which was implemented over the last three and a half years together with regional partners and the Chair of Networked Energy Systems of the IEEH at TU Dresden, came to an end. The aim of the project was to rethink the future energy supply of the town of Wittichenau in a holistic and sustainable way.

What makes ZellSys special?

While traditional municipal heat planning (KWP) usually focuses on heat analyses, ZellSys goes one step further: our method combines these heat analyses with detailed electro-energetic considerations. This makes ZellSys a pioneer in municipal energy planning and pursues an integrated approach that considers the areas of heat, electricity, PV potential, e-mobility and grid issues together.

A key project result: the Wittichenau energy atlas

With the Wittichenau Energy Atlas, we have developed an innovative tool that combines heat and electricity data, building models, PV suitability, scenarios up to 2050 and grid analyses in one platform. This tool forms the basis for strategic energy and grid planning in the region and enables well-founded decisions to be made on a sustainable energy future.

Key findings from the project

Numerous far-reaching results were developed as part of ZellSys, which form the basis for future planning and measures:

• High-resolution building modeling - spatially and temporally.
• Scenarios up to 2050: analysis of heating requirements, refurbishment options, PV potential, heat pump construction and e-mobility.
• 100 stochastic simulations per scenario: Comprehensive analyses of various development paths.
• Development trends:
  • Decreasing heat demand, but simultaneously increasing electrical loads.
  • PV expansion leads to higher feed-in, but with time discrepancies between production and consumption.
  • Grid bottlenecks: From 2035, bottlenecks could occur in densely populated areas.
  • Superordinate infrastructure is largely sufficient.

Publications and summary report

As part of the ZellSys project, key results were published in various specialist journals and conferences. These publications provide detailed insights into the methodology, analyses and findings of the project:

• Paul Seidel, Pauline Grun, Joachim Seifert: Cellular energy systems - a methodological approach to analysis and design. EHP, Euroheat & Power/District Heating International, 1/2026, ISSN: 0949-166X, pp. 16-24
• Pauline Grun, Paul Seidel, Joachim Seifert: Cellular energy systems in suburban areas. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, 15th REHVA HVAC World Congress CLIMA: Decarbonized, healthy and energy conscious buildings in future climates, 04.-06.06.2025, Milan, Italy
• Pauline Grun, Joachim Seifert, Paul Seidel: Building-specific analysis of the heat demand situation in suburban areas. HLH: Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, building services, issue 03, 2024, p. 16-21
• Pauline Grun, Joachim Seifert, Paul Seidel :Building-specific analysis of the heat demand situation in suburban areas using the example of the town of Wittichenau. EnInnov2024: 18th Symposium on Energy Innovation, 14-16.02.2024, Graz, Session F6: Energy supply of neighborhoods

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all citizens, municipal stakeholders and our project partners for their close cooperation and commitment over the past few years. Together we have been able to make an important contribution to a sustainable energy future.for further information, please visit our project page: zellsys.de/en