Site selection in the digital age: how artificial intelligence finds the perfect solution
Choosing the right location is crucial for the success and profitability of any large-scale project. Whether electrolysers, logistics centres, data centres, renewable energies, charging infrastructure, battery storage, power plants, industrial sites or infrastructure measures - every project has specific requirements for its environment. But how do you find the ideal location? What criteria need to be taken into account? And how can modern technology make this process easier?
With our AI-based site identification, we offer an innovative solution that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to answer precisely these questions. Our approach goes far beyond conventional location analyses. It combines our many years of expertise in the fields of energy management, infrastructure and traditional site development with the latest technological possibilities of emerging artificial intelligence.
Why is the choice of location so important?
Choosing the right location is crucial to the economic viability and long-term prospects of a project. The requirements are high: not only must the availability of energy sources, water and other media be guaranteed, but the infrastructural connection and the ability to obtain authorisation must also be taken into account. At the same time, in many cases the so-called system usefulness also plays a role: How well can the site be integrated into existing energy systems? Can redispatch measures be minimised and thus profitability increased?
The search for suitable sites is painstaking manual labour for most project planners. How can this complex selection process be accelerated and optimised? Our answer: with the right combination of state-of-the-art AI technology and decades of experience.
We proceed in three steps:
Step A: Identification and evaluation of potential sites
The first step in our AI-supported site search is to identify suitable areas. Here we rely on the expertise of our cooperation partner deeeper.technology, a young company from Rostock that specialises in the development of artificial geointelligence.
With the help of an AI-supported analysis of aerial and satellite images as well as various other map and information sources, deeeper.technology carries out a comprehensive inventory and potential analysis. The AI analyses numerous relevant factors, including general buildability, current land use, plot sizes and geometries, distances to existing buildings, possible media connections, distances to grid connection points and many other aspects.
This highly precise data enables us to make a well-founded pre-selection and to identify the areas that are particularly suitable for the respective project - whether electrolyser, charging infrastructure, power plant or data centre - and to sort them according to suitability.
Step B: In-depth analysis and selection
Once the AI has created an initial longlist of potential locations, the second step is quality assurance. Here we check the AI's best results for consistency and identify possible misinterpretations of the AI, e.g. so-called ‘glitches’. The result is an adjusted longlist from which the client can select the most promising locations for further processing.
Step C: Validation and final report
The final step involves the detailed validation of the locations selected by the client. Here, our experienced employees check and evaluate the respective sites in detail once again. With around 25 locations nationwide, Drees & Sommer can draw on extensive local and regional knowledge and information. The scope of services also includes a site inspection and photo documentation. In this phase, the eligibility for authorisation also plays a central role, which is always checked by the in-house legal expert. What regulatory hurdles are there? Is the location legally feasible? What about environmental aspects or country-specific regulations? Issues such as soil quality, vegetation or possible contaminated sites are also analysed.
At the end of this process, a comprehensive site profile is produced. This summarises all the relevant factors: Media availability, grid connection, infrastructure, development and basic eligibility for authorisation. This report is supplemented by a clear recommendation as to which sites are particularly suitable for the project in question. On request, the ownership structure can also be determined and the basic availability of the sites can be explored without the customer having to make a direct appearance.
The respective profiles not only provide our customers with the necessary information for decision-making, but also the basis for the successful continuation of the project.
Why us?
The expertise of cruh21, deeeper.technology and Drees & Sommer
Behind this location approach is a strong team of experienced partners. Our expertise as cruh21 lies in strategic project development for the energy sector, cities, municipalities, harbours and industry. We know which factors are decisive for the choice of location and support our clients in making sustainable decisions.
Deeeper.technology contributes its expertise in the field of AI-supported potential analysis based on aerial and satellite images as well as various map-based data sources to analyse areas for PV systems, wind energy or industrial centres. This innovative approach enables a quick and precise site assessment.
Finally, Drees & Sommer's many years of experience in the planning and realisation of large-scale projects ensures that practical implementation also runs smoothly. They are experts in the fields of energy, industry, housing, infrastructure and project management. Site development is in Drees & Sommer's DNA.
Your path to the ideal location starts here
If you are looking for the best location for your next major project - be it for renewable energy, a logistics centre, an electrolyser or any other application - our AI-based site identification is the solution. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology and our comprehensive expertise, you will receive a well-founded recommendation that ensures long-term profitability and sustainability.
Contact us and let's work together to create the optimum basis for your project!