InDEED - Blockchain-based Energy Data Platform
Sector: Tertiary sector · Industry: Renewable energy · Organisation: Forschungsstelle für Energiewirtschaft, Universität Bayreuth · Maturity level: Pilot
InDEED is a blockchain-based platform for decentralized storage of renewable energy plant data and energy flow labeling. The research project was developed by the Research Institute for Energy Economics and the University of Bayreuth to unify fragmented proof systems for regional electricity. The platform uses Merkle Trees for hash aggregation of plant data and integrates Zero-Knowledge-Proofs and Self-Sovereign Identities for legally compliant digital certificates of origin in real time.
Documentation status
- Project status: Pilot
- Evidence: Evidence high
- Editorial review: Ufuk Avci, 15 April 2026
Description
InDEED (Infrastructure for Decentralised Energy Data) was a BMWK-funded collaborative research project (April 2020 – September 2023, FKZ 03EI6026A). Consortium: FfE Munich, University of Bayreuth (Prof. Jens Strüker, Fraunhofer Blockchain Lab), Environmental Energy Law Foundation, 12 energy industry partners. Core architecture: Energy data is recorded at the plant, aggregated in Merkle Trees and transferred as a hash to the blockchain — immutable, tamper-proof, without disclosing raw data.
InDEED addressed a fundamental problem of the energy transition: With an increasing number of decentralised producers (PV systems, wind turbines, balcony power plants), a tamper-proof data basis accessible to all actors is lacking. The project developed a blockchain platform for two use cases: (1) Labeling — blockchain-based certificate of origin for green electricity. Current certificates of origin (HKN) only prove that an electricity supplier has purchased as much green electricity as it has sold — without time-accurate allocation. InDEED enables quarter-hourly certificates of origin that precisely show which plant produced which amount. EnBW demonstrated something similar: PV system of ODR with tokenised balancing proofs via smart meter in real time. (2) Asset Logging — tamper-proof documentation of plant properties and behaviour. Piloted with bidirectional charging processes (project BDL) and warranty management/insurance (with liqwotec). Result: Technically feasible; regulatory obstacles (Environmental Energy Law Foundation analysed legal framework) still require further development.
Perspectives
B2B — organisations perspective
Energy suppliers, grid operators and aggregators receive a reliable, tamper-proof basis for certificates of origin, billing and regulation through InDEED platforms — without a central trusted entity as a single point of failure.
B2C — consumers perspective
Green electricity customers can track exactly which plant their electricity comes from on a quarter-hourly basis via blockchain-based certificates of origin — instead of general annual certificates that do not guarantee true simultaneity.
Employees perspective
Employees in energy companies are relieved from repetitive administrative tasks and can focus on more strategic activities. At the same time, new qualification requirements arise in dealing with blockchain technologies and digital certification processes.
Benefits
General
- The platform creates uniform standards for certificates of origin for renewable energies in Germany.
- Automated smart contracts significantly reduce administrative costs and processing times.
- Decentralised storage increases data security and eliminates single points of failure.
B2B — organisations
- Energy companies can significantly reduce their certification costs while simultaneously increasing transparency for customers.
Employees
- Employees are relieved from time-consuming manual certification processes and can focus on more value-adding activities.
Challenges
General
- The legally compliant implementation of smart contracts requires close cooperation with regulatory authorities and legal expertise.
- Integration with existing energy systems and the market master data register is technically complex and time-consuming.
B2B — organisations
- Traditional energy suppliers must invest in new IT infrastructure and train their employees in blockchain technologies.
Employees
- Employees require comprehensive further training in blockchain technologies and digital certification processes.
Technology foundation
The platform is based on a blockchain architecture with Merkle Trees for efficient storage and verification of large data volumes from energy plants. Zero-Knowledge Proofs enable verification of certificates of origin without revealing sensitive data, while Self-Sovereign Identities ensure decentralised identity management for plant operators.
Implementation examples
InDEED research platform
The project aimed to unify the fragmented proof systems for regional electricity and reduce administrative costs. At the same time, it sought to enable new digital business models in the energy sector and increase transparency for consumers.
Development and testing of a blockchain-based platform for decentralised energy data with twelve partners from the energy industry.
The Research Centre for Energy Economics and the University of Bayreuth conducted the InDEED project from April 2020 to September 2023 to develop a blockchain-based infrastructure for decentralised energy data. The project integrated Merkle Trees for hash aggregation, Zero-Knowledge Proofs for privacy-compliant verifications, and Self-Sovereign Identities for decentralised identity management. Despite pandemic-related challenges, successful field trials were conducted and prototypes for practical application developed. Twelve partners from the energy industry supported the project in developing and testing the technology.
The solution addresses the complexity of existing certification systems and creates uniform standards for guarantees of origin. Blockchain technology ensures data integrity and transparency, while smart contracts automate manual processes.
Tags
Blockchain, Certificate of origin, Smart contracts, Energy transition, Decentralisation