Background

Multi-agent systems (MAS) offer a promising approach for managing decentralized energy systems. In applications such as Redispatch 3.0, they enable the efficient coordination of flexibilities by pooling small, decentralized units such as household batteries or heat pumps into an asset pool.

A key advantage of MAS is their ability to operate in a decentralized and autonomous manner, enhancing scalability and fault tolerance. However, failures of individual agents or communication problems between them can compromise the overall functionality of the system. It is therefore crucial to investigate the robustness of the system against such disruptions and develop mechanisms for fault detection and mitigation.

Objective

The objective of this thesis is to investigate the robustness of multi-agent systems in energy systems in the event of agent failures or communication disruptions. The work may take both theoretical and practical approaches, such as a theoretical analysis of tipping points in the system or a simulation-based study of different scenarios. Mechanisms for fault detection and mitigation can be developed and evaluated as part of the investigation.

The specific structure of the work depends on the student's interests. 

Possible areas of focus could be:

• Theoretical analysis (investigation of tipping points in the system where the failure of individual agents leads to instability of the overall system)
• Simulative analysis (implementation of scenarios with different failure rates and patterns (e.g. complete agent failure, communication failure), investigation of the effects and development & implementation of mechanisms for error detection and mitigation)
• Combination

Interest in decentralized energy systems and multi-agent systems

Optional:

• Basic knowledge of programming (preferably Python)
• Initial experience with simulation environments or theoretical modeling