Since the Paris Agreement in 2016, the goals of limiting climate change and moving toward climate resilience stand. With a share of about 80% of global CO₂ emissions, the energy sector is an essential driver for these goals. A shift to low-carbon energy production and a decentralized system for more efficient energy transmission distribution is necessary. In this paper, we present our work on Modelling of Power Exchanges, Algorithms for Local Energy Market (LEM), Competitiveness of Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) and Energy Feedback Devices. The study was conducted considering technical, economic, social and regulatory framework. For easy integration into energy simulations or a district energy management system (DEMS), a model for power exchanges was created that allows flexible input or deterministic price patterns. The algorithm handles the clearing of an LEM by a district aggregator using limit orders with the goal of increasing the share of locally consumed electricity using economic incentives. An investigation was conducted into the operation of flexible CHPs in low-carbon power systems to balance the volatility of renewable energy. An Energy Signal Light (ESL) was developed as an energy feedback device, which is integrated into the DEMS in a living lab and allows individual configuration. In summary, the results presented should be compared with those of other research approaches in the future and require qualitative and quantitative evaluation.

Transdisciplinary research projects offer practical learning environments and great opportunities for students and project partners to collaborate. This chapter presents two examples of practical seminars that provide open spaces for collaboration within the ENaQ Project in the Helleheide Urban Living Lab in Oldenburg, Germany. In these seminars, students worked directly with the project partners finding answers to actual research questions from within the project. Based on the reflections from all stakeholders and the takeaways from the seminars’ format, the authors introduce an iterative collaboration process. Transdisciplinary research projects can use it to develop the theory-practice interactions further and create a win-win collaboration in a long-term profit for all parties.

The YEEES Sustainability Camps are an innovative format for sustainability-oriented entrepreneurship education that gives participants from different backgrounds the opportunity to obtain real-life experience by helping solve sustainability issues in an international context. Universities from Germany and the south of Africa worked together in the implementation of four different Camps. The societal problems the world currently faces require change agents from various fields willing to contribute solutions and think entrepreneurially. We believe the Sustainability Camp format is an effective tool for motivating its participants to generate awareness about the problems it is tackling, while also acquiring key competences necessary for developing entrepreneurial solutions. In this chapter, we introduce the Sustainability Camps’ formats and share experiences being made by implementing and further developing it.

Since the Paris Agreement in 2016, the goals of limiting climate change and moving toward climate resilience stand. With a share of about \SI{80}{\percent} of global \ce{CO2} emissions, the energy sector is an essential driver for these goals. A shift to low-carbon energy production and a decentralized system for more efficient energy transmission distribution is necessary. In this paper, we present our work on Modeling of Power Exchanges, Algorithms for \ac{LEM}, Competitiveness of \ac{CHP} and Energy Feedback Devices. The study was conducted considering technical, economic, social and regulatory framework. For easy integration into energy simulations or a \ac{DEMS}, a model for power exchanges was created that allows flexible input or deterministic price patterns. The algorithm handles the clearing of an \ac{LEM} by a district aggregator using limit orders with the goal of increasing the share of locally consumed electricity using economic incentives. An investigation was conducted into the operation of flexible \acp{CHP} in low-carbon power systems to balance the volatility of renewable energy. An energy signal light was developed as an energy feedback device, which is integrated into the \ac{DEMS} in a living lab and allows individual configuration. In summary, the results presented should be compared with those of other research approaches in the future and require qualitative and quantitative evaluation.