Workshop of the 'Sustainability and the Internet' IRTF Research Group,
July 16-17, 2026, at the University of Passau
The invitation-only workshop “The Internet meets the Electricity Grid: Technical Standards and Societal Challenges” takes place on July 16-17, 2026, at the University of Passau and aims to bring together experts from the Internet protocol design and Electricity grid infrastructure communities.
The event will offer interdisciplinary exchange: to discuss communication protocols to better support the interplay between the Internet and the Electricity Grid for greater sustainability; to better assess the trustworthiness of measurement methods, metrics, and accountability mechanisms for both of these increasingly decentralized, interdependent infrastructures; to clarify the network's role and the networking community’s role in supporting sustainability, across Internet and Electrical Grid interactions; to consider the technical as well as societal challenges that surround the Internet-Energy nexus. Held just before the IETF 126 in Vienna (July 18-24), one anticipated outcome is to identify immediate next steps for IETF standards, in a dedicated SUSTAIN RG session at the IETF meeting in Vienna.
The workshop will be held on the picturesque University of Passau campus near the old town.
Passau is about 3 hours by train from Vienna or Munich.
IRTF SUSTAIN RG Chairs: Ali Rezaki (Nokia), Dr. Eve Schooler (University of Oxford), Prof. Dr. Michael Welzl (University of Oslo).
Local Hosts: Prof. Dr. Hermann de Meer, Prof. Dr. Werner Gamerith (University of Passau).
We cordially invite you to contribute and to help us to achieve tangible results together!
