About Us

Who We Are

TOP-Energy® is an innovative software solution for modeling, simulation, and optimization of complex energy systems.

Our mission is to provide industrial companies, municipalities, research institutions, and engineering firms with a powerful toolbox that holistically maps energy supply structures, reduces costs, and enables sustainable investment decisions.

Our Mission & Values

We believe in a sustainable future through intelligent energy solutions. Our software helps customers to plan the best possible energy system and identify optimization potential. Efficiency, transparency, and innovation are the core values that drive us. We don't just look for a good solution – we aim for the best one!

Our History & Collaboration With GFaI

TOP-Energy has been developed by the Society for the Promotion of Applied Computer Science (GFaI e. V.).

GFaI is an industry-focused research institution with over 30 years of experience in applied computer science. We develop practical IT solutions for businesses and institutions, particularly in the areas of optical measurement and testing technology, acoustics and vibrations, 3D data processing, robotics, energy and environmental technology, network infrastructure, and knowledge-based dialog systems.

Since its inception, the system has evolved continuously and has become one of the leading software solutions for modeling and optimizing energy systems—a prime example of successful technology transfer!

learn more about the GFaI

2003

The first ideas for the software emerged at a time when energy systems were still simple, sector coupling was an unknown concept, and hardly anyone showed interest—except a few researchers at GFaI and RWTH Aachen. Fortunately, there were also supporters within the Industrial Collective Research (IGF). The journey begins …

2003 – 2009

Development of the first software prototypes within the research projects TOP-Energy (IGF), EnergyBox (Innowatt), and TOP-Energy+ at GFaI. Since then, TOP-Energy has been the tool of choice for our engineers in modeling complex energy systems. It has been successfully used in numerous research and industry projects.

2010

Launch of the first market-ready version 0.2 of TOP-Energy®. By the way, TOP-Energy originally stood for Toolkit for Optimization of Industrial Energy Systems. Today, most users are unfamiliar with the long form of the acronym. However, the vision remains unchanged: a universal toolbox for optimizing energy systems—now not only for industrial applications but for any energy system that aims to be optimized.

2010 – 2015

Expansion of the software with innovative methods for designing energy systems. The component library grows, and with E.ON as the first major customer, the module eValuate is developed for extensive ecological and economic comparison of system variants—including the perspectives of multiple stakeholders.

2019 – 2020

Comprehensive redesign of the software with a strong focus on customer use cases and usability. TOP-Energy 3.0 is on the horizon. From this point on, the world’s leading MILP solver Gurobi has been used as the computational core: simulation times drop, and models that previously exceeded the capability of any solver are now solvable—thanks to our universal toolbox.

2021

Sales of TOP-Energy are once again managed directly by GFaI. Since then, the dedicated TOP-Energy expert team has overseen and coordinated sales, customer success, and support—and always has an open ear for you.

Today

he modeling software continues to improve steadily to represent even the rarest special cases in the energy analysis of complex systems. Our guiding principle remains: giving users the freedom for creativity and custom solutions. In numbers: 5.5 million lines of code. So if you're wondering whether you can create similarly flexible and comprehensive optimization models using Python or Excel: You can’t!

Thanks to GFaI’s close collaboration with the most renowned universities, institutes, and R&D departments in energy-intensive industries, our customers benefit from cutting-edge scientific knowledge and field-tested solutions within the energy systems community.

Our USPs –
What Makes TOP-Energy Unique

Holistic Modeling

Integration of a wide range of energy systems (electricity, heat, cooling, steam, compressed air, hydrogen, etc.).

Intelligent Optimization

Use of powerful mathematical algorithms to determine ideal operations and system sizing.

User-Friendliness

Intuitive visual modeling supported by a comprehensive library of over 200 components.

Transparent Analysis

Detailed KPI calculations for investment decisions and sustainability strategies.

Flexibility & Adaptability

Applicable for organizations of any size—from industry to municipal utilities.

Applied Research Focus

Ongoing development through close collaboration with leading research institutions and GFaI.

Our Target Groups

Engineers & Scientists: We support experts with powerful simulation and optimization tools that go far beyond Excel.

Industry & Energy Providers: Companies benefit from optimized operating strategies and well-founded investment decisions.

Cities & Municipalities: We support strategic energy planning for a CO2-neutral future.

Our Expertise & Advantages of TOP-Energy

Energy System Modeling

Visual flow diagram modeling with over 200 components.

Optimization Made Simple

Mathematical algorithms for energy- and cost-efficient decisions.

Analysis & Transparency

Calculation of all relevant KPIs for informed decision-making.

Flexible Application

From industrial power plants and hydrogen storage to municipal energy supply.