FH Upper Austria Graduates Develop App for Real‑Time Visualization of Energy Consumption

Hagenberg. Two graduates of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Hagenberg Campus, are showcasing how hands‑on education and applied research go hand in hand. Tobias Fischer (25) from St. Aegidi and Michael Zauner (27) from Linz—both graduates of the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in Mobile Computing—developed a mobile app as part of the INNOnet (Interactive Grid Optimization and Grid Tariffs) research project that enables electricity customers to monitor and actively manage their energy consumption in real time.

The INNOnet project, coordinated by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), is researching new business models and technologies for the use of variable grid tariffs. These tariffs aim to make the electricity grid more flexible and stable as the share of renewable energy continues to increase. As part of the project, the practical application of these variable tariffs is being comprehensively evaluated for the first time.

‘As the share of renewable energy grows, fluctuations in the power grid are increasing significantly. Variable grid tariffs enable more flexible load distribution by encouraging consumers to shift their energy use to periods of lower grid demand,’ explain the two graduates.

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Real‑Time Consumption Data – Transparent and Easy to Understand
The INNOnet app developed by Tobias Fischer and Michael Zauner makes these complex relationships visible for end users. It visualizes individual consumption data from smart meters, provided via Austria’s EDA Platform (Energy Data Exchange Platform).

The EDA Platform, operated by Österreichs Energie, serves as a secure data hub for the standardized exchange of energy data between grid operators, energy suppliers, and customers. The INNOnet app uses this infrastructure to deliver real‑time consumption data directly to users’ smartphones—enhanced with energy and grid cost information. This allows users to instantly see when electricity is particularly inexpensive and when it makes sense to shift loads.

The app is available free of charge in the App Store and Google Play Store under the name “INNOnet Project.”

European Perspective through EDDIE
A special feature of the project is its European scalability. By leveraging results from the EU project EDDIE, which is also implemented by the Department for Smart and Interconnected Living (SAIL) at FH Upper Austria in cooperation with national and international partners, the app can be deployed in other European countries in the future.
This turns Austrian research work into a scalable concept for all of Europe.

Research, Studies, and Practice Combined
Tobias Fischer and Michael Zauner developed the app alongside their master’s studies as part of their work at FH OÖ Forschungs & Entwicklungs GmbH. Their achievement exemplifies how students and researchers at FH Upper Austria collaboratively create practical, innovative solutions to real‑world challenges.

“This project is an excellent example of how practice‑oriented education, research, and innovation interlock at FH Upper Austria,” emphasizes Christoph Schaffer, Head of the Department for Smart and Interconnected Living (SAIL) and of the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in Mobile Computing.
“Tobias Fischer and Michael Zauner have created a market‑ready application that delivers real value—for energy providers, grid operators, and, above all, for the customers themselves.”

With their work, the two graduates make an important contribution to an intelligent, flexible, and sustainable energy future—while demonstrating the impact of combining research, practice, and education at FH Upper Austria.

Project Partners
clever‑PV GmbH, Energy Institute at Johannes Kepler University, Energienetze Steiermark GmbH, HAKOM Time Series GmbH, Linz Netz GmbH, Netz Oberösterreich GmbH, Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Österreich and tounify GmbH

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