The Federal Ministry for Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) has launched the funding call 'KI4Energy'. The initiative aims to connect German AI research with competencies in energy, hydrogen, and material research. The focus is on early research approaches and application-oriented concepts of Technology Readiness Levels 1 to 3.

Innovative and largely untested project ideas are funded, where technical feasibility should first be demonstrated through a proof of concept. Projects with a duration of three years, which provide initial scientific and technical insights and lay the foundation for potential further development.

The funding call includes four thematic priorities. These include Data Science and AI-supported analytics, digital twins and system modeling, autonomous systems and predictive maintenance, as well as adaptive AI platforms for decision support. Possible applications range from the analysis of heterogeneous energy and test data to the detection of anomalies and cyberattacks to the intelligent maintenance of technical systems.

Large language models can also be examined for specialized applications in the energy industry. According to the funding call, the human-in-the-loop principle applies to such systems: experts must be able to intervene and override automated decisions at any time, especially in safety-critical applications.

Eligible applicants are individual projects and consortia from research institutions, universities, and companies. The participation of small and medium-sized enterprises is expressly encouraged. Project outlines can be submitted electronically at any time and continuously. They should not exceed eight pages plus a cover sheet and attachments; a self-assessment to classify into TRL stages 1 to 3 is also required.

Companies and research institutions wishing to assess their prerequisites for the use of AI or identify suitable funding and cooperation opportunities can find additional guidance in the BAIOSPHERE AI Compass.