Task-Based Semantic Framework for Organizing Energy Research

Abstract

Effective discovery and reuse of research software in the energy domain require rich, standardized metadata, yet software purpose is typically expressed as free text and cannot be processed automatically. We introduce the Open Energy Task Ontology, which formalizes software purpose through semantically defined research tasks organized hierarchically from abstract to highly specific activities. Tasks are represented as ontological classes with clear definitions, goals, and semantic relations, enabling machine-readable categorization, workflow construction, and automated identification of compatible software components. Beyond software, tasks serve as a unifying metadata layer for datasets, publications, researchers, and organizations, supporting cross-object discovery and integration. A prototype hierarchy, initial workflow implementations, and integration into existing knowledge-graph infrastructures demonstrate the potential of a task-centric approach to harmonize metadata and enhance interoperability in energy research.