ID-Ideal: Manage digital identity intuitively and securely
On average, the modern person has about 70 digital identities - too many to keep track of in their head. The overview of the data linked to the identities is also lost. The ID-Ideal research project wants to change that. The goal of ID-Ideal: transparency, security and intuitive handling - with one app for all certifications, and across countries.
The idea of the interdisciplinary research group is to replace the many identities with a single secure and intuitive digital ID. However, what sounds good is not only technically challenging: In order to implement a secure, trustworthy and data protection-compliant solution with intuitive usability that is accepted and used by people even without special technical understanding, the project partners focus on management solutions of digital identities by the respective owners. The goal is to develop technological solutions that give people back the overview and sovereignty over their data. Fabian Schwarzbeck heads the ID Ideal project at Stromdao GmbH and explains: "The goal is registration for all accesses - without password messing. We are focusing on the energy sector, specifically on the recording and presentation of CO2 emissions. We assume that the CO2 footprint of companies and products will play an increasingly important role in the future, for example in purchasing decisions, from the point of view of climate change."
Energy identity and CO2 verification
Stromdao is responsible for the "Energy" work package in the ID Ideal project and has the task of implementing a CO2 analysis from an electricity provider perspective. "Our task is to provide system operators in the ID-Ideal ecosystem with the necessary module components, processes and data to equip systems with "energy intelligence" that function more or less as an "eye in the network". The goal is to realize the most accurate forecasts and analyses possible for the generation and consumption of different types of energy, as well as the resulting CO2 emissions. This data is to be used to set up a billing service for emissions. CO2 could thus become its own currency in the future.
In addition, electricity customers with reliable CO2 certifications would have a convenient opportunity to assess and select energy suppliers, such as electricity providers, specifically according to the CO2 footprint in order to optimize their own CO2 balance.
Only accurate and secure data is good data
The challenge is to precisely map CO2 with the most correct and accurate data possible. Only with good data will the greatest possible effect be achieved for climate protection. "The smart meter rollout is a step in the right direction, however, education is also still needed here to increase willingness to participate. Trust in the system also needs to be established. Security is a crucial aspect for system acceptance. On the one hand, data sovereignty must lie with the participants, but on the other hand, it must not be possible to falsify data. We ensure this with the data chain, i.e. blockchain," explains Fabian Schwarzbeck..
Certification
Corrently green electricity tariffs have already been recording CO2 emissions for many years, generating an individual CO2 footprint and making it possible to optimize CO2 emissions with the green electricity index and compensate them with trees. Fabian Schwarzbeck on security: "Data integrity is ensured by mapping all processes on a dedicated blockchain".
China is a pioneer in the implementation of digital identities and their certification - but unfortunately also a cautionary tale. The type of "social scoring" that is common in China is, fortunately and for good reasons, not compatible with European laws. Surveillance of people and companies must not be the driving force behind digital certification. Because transparent, traceable and securely stored CO2 emissions provide a good basis for the assessment of energy products, especially for effective climate protection.
ID-Ideal brings added value for consumers
Who doesn't know the trouble with digital accesses: Which email with which password, at which account "Once forgotten the password and you can invest again 5 minutes of life in the re-generation and secure storage of a new password", knows project manager Fabian Schwarzbeck, "and the certificates are becoming more and more". In the future, more and more people will deal with the certification at charging columns due to the increasing electromobility. Multiple accounts for charging pole operators or car power providers, respectively, as well as multiple charging cards with different access data are nothing unusual. Do you know where they are registered everywhere, what data is shared by providers and what your electricity provider is actually doing for climate protection? This is where ID-Ideal Energie comes in and aims to create the one, overarching digital identity that delivers clarity, security and intuitive operation. Data sovereignty remains with the user; effective climate protection is available to all.
The ID-Ideal project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag.
Source: STROMDAO GmbH
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