East-Bavarian Centre of Internet Competence

The East-Bavarian Centre of Internet Competence aims to consolidate East-Bavarian universities' research competence on the subject of the Internet and make this extensive body of research available to businesses in the region as a catalyst for innovation. Three complementary projects of the University of Passau, covering Big Data, legal aspects of critical infrastructures and Smart Grids and one project carried out by Deggendorf Institute of Technology, on the detection of anomalies in power grids, will exemplify the benefits such pooled knowledge can bring to the Bavarian economy. The projects deal with a wide array of Internet technologies and their interdisciplinary relationships with the legal and economic environment.

Complementary projects of the University of Passau

Bavarian Knowledge Network for Digital Infrastructures, IT Security and Law for Businesses (BayWiDI) - Professor Heckmann

The BayWiDI project examines current developments in IT security law, particularly regarding the passing of the German IT Security Act. It concerns itself with questions such as how businesses can ascertain an adequate level of legally-compliant IT security while still remaining flexible enough for innovations. Ultimately, the project aims to give Bavarian companies a valuable IT Security instrument for self-implementation using approaches developed in the projects. All knowledge generated from this dialogue between business and academia is conveyed in everyday language and continuously updated in the newly established BayWiDI platform. To this end, the end users are involved in the development of suitable tools and formats.

Big and Open Data Analytics for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (BODA) - Professor Granitzer, Professor Kosch

Using large-volume (or 'Big Data') data analysis processes on data freely available on the World Wide Web has an enormous potential for the success of Bavarian business enterprises. However, due to the complexity of technologies used for Big Data and open data processing SMEs often find themselves locked out of this success factor. The BODA project therefore aims to explore, develop and - using prototypes - test new cloud-based services to make Open Data usable in Big Data processes for Bavarian SMEs. The project is carried out in co-operation with business partners involved in data-based customer analysis on the data-analysis and application side, among others.

Smart Grids - Communication, Management and Security - Professor de Meer

The idea behind Smart Grids, or intelligent power distribution networks, is to achieve a more efficient utilisation of energy sources, which will usher in a new era of ecologically-sound power generation. The two major challenges in this are steadily increasing energy consumption and the inclusion of renewable energy sources. To meet these challenges, both power supply and demand have to be made 'smart' by taking today's power grid technology and enhancing it withinformation and communication technology. Bavaria is already among the world's leading regions in terms of energy generation, particularly when it comes to the use of photovoltaic systems. This project, moreover, gives Bavarian SMEs a further boost with regard to the technology and knowledge used to push ahead with the change towards clean energy. New problems brought about on a regional level by virtual power plants, energy management, load distribution and energy reservoirs can also be solved on a regional level, and open up new markets in the process.