Helmholtz AI PI Benjamin Schäfer receives Ecology Prize of the Viktor & Sigrid Dulger Foundation 2026, presented by the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Helmholtz AI Principal Investigator TT-Prof. Dr. Benjamin Schäfer has been awarded the Ecology Prize of the Viktor & Sigrid Dulger Foundation 2026, presented by the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (HAdW). The prize honours young scientists who make an important contribution to the protection of nature and the environment, regardless of discipline, and is endowed with 10,000 euros. The award ceremony took place on 20 June 2026 at the HAdW's annual celebration in the Alte Aula of Heidelberg University.
Schäfer's work focuses on making the power grid more stable and resilient through transparent, explainable AI methods. Combining physical modelling, machine learning, and open data, he develops approaches to quantify fluctuations in the energy system and explain their causes.
The awarded research, carried out together with colleagues from Potsdam, Oldenburg, London, Ås (Norway), Dresden, and Klagenfurt, centres on a data-driven load profile for electricity consumption. Current grid management relies on standard load profiles that are partly based on measurements from many years ago. Modern households now include volatile devices such as photovoltaic systems, electric vehicles, and smart appliances, all of which can cause rapid shifts in demand. The new profile offers a flexible, high-resolution method to estimate electricity consumption, an essential step for keeping the grid stable and cost-efficient as the energy transition progresses.
The better we know consumption in advance, the better electricity generation or storage can be planned,
Schäfer holds a Tenure-Track Professorship at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and has led the Helmholtz AI Group "Data-Driven Analysis of Complex Systems (DRACOS)" since 2022.
