An information integration framework toward cross-organizational management of integrated energy systems

Abstract

Integrating information systems in supply chains and energy systems presents significant challenges due to diverse knowledge domains and cross-organizational processes. This study bridges the gap by employing industrial information integration engineering concepts. We propose a domain ontology framework to integrate supply chain conceptions, upon which several application-level semantic models in energy networks are developed. These ontologies, functioning as interoperable systems, enhance information sharing and data integration across strategic, tactical, and operational decision-making levels. Our proposed framework adheres to Industry 4.0 principles, offering a novel formalization of essential supply chain concepts and activities, ensuring logical consistency. This dual-level ontological approach surpasses previous models by enabling vertical and horizontal integration across supply chain hierarchies. It facilitates seamless communication between supply chain constituents, expert modelers, and software agents. Additionally, the application-level ontologies for energy networks capture various organizational operations, multi-energy vectors, demands, and conversion technologies. These semantic models reduce the knowledge management gap in integrated energy systems, aligning with Industry 4.0 objectives. Two scenarios demonstrate the framework's capabilities: virtual agents coordinate the water-energy nexus and configure integrated energy systems. Results indicate that the domain and application knowledge integration systems comprehensively cover corresponding business processes across operational hierarchies. Thus, the proposed framework supports intra- and inter-agent communications, with ontologies serving as knowledge repositories, ultimately facilitating better industrial integration.