EnergyNet

EnergyNet is a new system architecture for power distribution that applies principles from the internet to the energy system. It transforms electricity distribution from a passive, centrally controlled structure into a distributed, programmable and interoperable network where buildings, renewable generation, batteries, electric vehicles and flexible loads can coordinate and exchange energy in near real time.

Every connected building or installation becomes an active node. Instead of operating as isolated assets behind separate grid connections, nodes can form local energy networks that produce, consume, store and share electricity according to local needs, grid conditions, market signals and agreed rules. These local networks can then be interconnected into a scalable “network of networks” covering neighbourhoods, industrial areas, municipalities and regions.

The central physical component is the Energy Router. It connects buildings and energy assets, measures electrical conditions and controls power flows between generation, storage, consumption, neighbouring nodes and the public grid. The router can integrate measurement, power conversion, galvanic separation and control, reducing the need for separate meters, inverters and control devices. It determines whether electricity should be used locally, stored, transferred, imported or exported.

EnergyNet can use a meshed direct-current network between buildings. This is relevant because solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles and many electronic systems are inherently DC-based. By reducing repeated conversion between alternating and direct current, the architecture can improve efficiency and simplify the integration of distributed assets. Existing AC systems do not need to be replaced, since EnergyNet can be introduced as a parallel and modular infrastructure.

The Energy Protocol provides the common digital language of the system. It enables Energy Routers, assets, applications and management systems to exchange information about available power, demand, storage status, operational limits, flexibility, prices and network conditions. Because the protocol is open and technology-neutral, equipment and services from different manufacturers can interact without being locked into one proprietary platform.

Local operation is managed through the Energy Router Operating System, while the Energy Network Management System coordinates the wider network. Together they support monitoring, optimisation, cybersecurity, permissions, asset registration, billing, settlement and market participation. Local routers can continue operating according to predefined rules if external communication is interrupted, improving resilience and supporting critical loads.

EnergyNet provides a foundation for smart grids and flexibility. Batteries can shift energy in time, electric vehicles can optimise charging or provide vehicle-to-grid services, heat pumps and thermal storage can respond to renewable production, and industrial loads can adjust demand. The system can aggregate these resources and provide coordinated flexibility to grid operators, helping reduce congestion, limit peaks, integrate more renewable electricity and delay grid reinforcement.

The architecture is also designed for energy communities. Citizens, municipalities, SMEs, property owners and public organisations can share generation, storage and flexibility while retaining ownership of their buildings and assets. The system can measure contributions and consumption, coordinate shared resources and distribute costs and revenues transparently.

EnergyNet can also integrate electricity with heating, cooling, transport and hydrogen. Batteries can provide short-term balancing, thermal storage can shift heating demand, electric vehicles can act as flexible resources, and hydrogen can support longer-duration storage and sector coupling.

An EnergyNet Operator can act as a neutral facilitator responsible for operating the common infrastructure, certifying equipment and services, managing access and cybersecurity, and supporting settlement and market transactions. Technology providers, aggregators, software developers and energy-service companies can then offer services through an open ecosystem.

EnergyNet complements rather than replaces the public electricity grid. The public grid remains essential for large-scale balancing and security of supply, while EnergyNet adds local control and coordination. By producing, storing and using electricity closer to where it is needed, the architecture can reduce unnecessary power flows, improve resource utilisation and make distributed assets useful to the wider system.

Overall, EnergyNet is a reference architecture for the internetification of energy distribution. By combining Energy Routers, DC interconnections, an open Energy Protocol, local autonomy and digital network management, it enables a more decentralised, resilient, flexible and programmable energy system.