open-plan-tool
open-plan-tool – Cross-Sectoral Open-Source Planning Tool.
How does open-plan-tool help?
The open-plan-tool, developed by researchers at RLI, supports the optimized planning of energy cells to (partially) meet electricity and heating demands in neighborhoods and industrial areas in Germany. Energy cells function as active subsystems that facilitate the integration of renewable energies and significantly reduce the need for grid expansion, as they can be planned and managed collaboratively. The open-plan-tool can also be used for planning energy systems in general.
Who is the tool suitable for?
open-plan-tool is suitable for stakeholders such as municipal utilities, engineering firms, or citizens with limited scientific expertise who aim to plan, compare, and optimize sustainable energy systems.
How does open-plan-tool work?
Following an open-science approach, open-plan-tool makes all data, methods, and program code available under an appropriate open-source license. It allows the integration of various generation components and demand types, supports the management of open data libraries, and uses open, interchangeable formats. Automated scenario analyses and modular components ensure user-friendliness and enable the creation of reproducible results.
What examples of use are there?
The open-plan-tool was developed as part of the open_plan project.
In the open_plan 2.0 project, RLI scientists are working with partner organisations to develop an improved planning tool that supports municipalities and regions in creating heat plans. The aim is to apply the existing open-plan-tool in cooperation with selected practice partners and to further develop it for municipal heat and energy planning.
How can open-plan-tool be used?
The program code is written in Python and is freely available on the online platform GitHub.
Additionally, a browser-based user interface is available for direct use at https://open-plan.rl-institut.de/.
