Simon Hilpert

Simon Hilpert is a Researcher at Europa-Universität Flensburg, affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Institute for Environmental, Social and Human Sciences and the Department of Energy and Environmental Management. He has served as a research assistant since 2013 and teaches energy system modeling in the Master's program EUM (Energy and Environmental Management).

His educational background includes:

• Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering (specializing in Energy and Environmental Management) from Flensburg University of Applied Sciences (2007-2011), including a semester abroad at Universidade Nova de Lisboa
• Master's in Systems Engineering from Flensburg University of Applied Sciences (2011-2013), with thesis on combined heat and power plant modeling using mixed-integer linear optimization

Hilpert's research focuses on energy system modeling and optimization using mathematical programming and open-source tools (Python, Pyomo, MathProg). He is a principal developer of the Open Energy Modelling Framework (oemof), particularly the solph module for energy system optimization. His doctoral work analyzes modeling approaches for future electricity-heat coupled energy systems, critical for renewable energy integration. His methodology emphasizes reproducibility and open science in energy transition research.

His publications reveal a cohesive research trajectory centered on advancing open-source energy modeling. Key contributions include oemof.solph for optimization, district heating system integration, framework development for open science, and qualitative evaluation methodologies. These works collectively address computational challenges in modeling complex energy transitions, with emphasis on district heating integration and reproducible research practices.

Hilpert actively contributes to the oemof community and collaborates within the Interdisciplinary Institute for Environmental, Social and Human Sciences. His work supports sustainable energy system design through robust open-source tools, directly impacting academic and practical energy transition efforts in the German-Danish border region and beyond.