diff --git a/docs/whats_new.rst b/docs/whats_new.rst
index 74b68dee..9473e53a 100644
--- a/docs/whats_new.rst
+++ b/docs/whats_new.rst
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ What's New
 
 Discover notable new features and improvements in each release
 
-.. include::  whats_new/v0-7-9.rst
+.. include::  whats_new/v0-8-0.rst
 .. include::  whats_new/v0-7-8-002.rst
 .. include::  whats_new/v0-7-8-001.rst
 .. include::  whats_new/v0-7-8.rst
diff --git a/docs/whats_new/v0-7-9.rst b/docs/whats_new/v0-7-9.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index b6f6df85..00000000
--- a/docs/whats_new/v0-7-9.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-v0.7.9 - Under development
-++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-
-New Features
-############
-- Implement a new property for connections to report the phase of the fluid,
-  i.e. :code:`"l"` for liquid, :code:`"tp"` for two-phase and :code:`"g"` for
-  gaseous. The phase is only reported in subcritical pressure
-  (`PR #592 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/592>`__).
-
-Contributors
-############
-- `@tlmerbecks <https://github.com/tlmerbecks>`__
-- Francesco Witte (`@fwitte <https://github.com/fwitte>`__)
diff --git a/docs/whats_new/v0-8-0.rst b/docs/whats_new/v0-8-0.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fae8a8f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/whats_new/v0-8-0.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+v0.8.0 - Under development
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+
+New Features
+############
+- Implement a new property for connections to report the phase of the fluid,
+  i.e. :code:`"l"` for liquid, :code:`"tp"` for two-phase and :code:`"g"` for
+  gaseous. The phase is only reported in subcritical pressure
+  (`PR #592 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/592>`__).
+- Change the export of a :py:class:`tespy.networks.network.Network` instance to
+  separate writing to the filesystem from creating the data to export. This
+  breaks the API of the :py:meth:`tespy.networks.network_reader.load_network`
+  method, meaning exported network data based on :code:`tespy<0.8` are not
+  compatible with how :code:`tespy>=0.8` is handling the data
+  (`PR #605 <https://github.com/oemof/tespy/pull/605>`__).
+
+  .. code-block:: python
+
+    >>> from tespy.networks import Network
+    >>> from tespy.connections import Connection
+    >>> from tespy.components import Source, Sink
+    >>> nwk = Network()
+    >>> so = Source("source")
+    >>> si = Sink("sink")
+    >>> c1 = Connection(so, "out1", si, "in1")
+    >>> nwk.add_conns(c1)
+    >>> data = nwk.export()
+    >>> list(data.keys())
+    ['Network', 'Connection', 'Component', 'Bus']
+    >>> list(data["Component"])
+    ['Source', 'Sink']
+
+Contributors
+############
+- Francesco Witte (`@fwitte <https://github.com/fwitte>`__)
+- `@tlmerbecks <https://github.com/tlmerbecks>`__
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 75a57834..45fa1d6a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ exclude = ["docs/_build"]
 
 [project]
 name = "tespy"
-version = "0.7.9.dev0"
+version = "0.8.0.dev0"
 description = "Thermal Engineering Systems in Python (TESPy)"
 readme = "README.rst"
 authors = [
diff --git a/src/tespy/__init__.py b/src/tespy/__init__.py
index 70ade2f6..7481914a 100644
--- a/src/tespy/__init__.py
+++ b/src/tespy/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import os
 
 __datapath__ = os.path.join(importlib.resources.files("tespy"), "data")
-__version__ = '0.7.9.dev0 - Newton\'s Nature'
+__version__ = '0.8.0.dev0'
 
 # tespy data and connections import
 from . import connections  # noqa: F401
diff --git a/src/tespy/networks/network.py b/src/tespy/networks/network.py
index 123aa709..0fa516ba 100644
--- a/src/tespy/networks/network.py
+++ b/src/tespy/networks/network.py
@@ -2663,13 +2663,172 @@ def print_components(self, c, *args):
         else:
             return np.nan
 
-    def export(self, path):
-        """Export the network structure and parametrization."""
-        path, path_comps = self._create_export_paths(path)
-        self.export_network(path)
-        self.export_connections(path)
-        self.export_components(path_comps)
-        self.export_busses(path)
+    def export(self, path=None):
+        """Export the parametrization and structure of the Network instance
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        path : str, optional
+            Path for exporting to filesystem. If path is None, the data are
+            only returned and not written to the filesystem, by default None
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict
+            Parametrization and structure of the Network instance.
+        """
+        export = {}
+        export["Network"] = self._export_network()
+        export["Connection"] = self._export_connections()
+        export["Component"] = self._export_components()
+        export["Bus"] = self._export_busses()
+
+        if path:
+            path, _ = self._create_export_paths(path)
+            for key, value in export.items():
+
+                fn = os.path.join(path, f'{key}.json')
+                with open(fn, 'w') as f:
+                    json.dump(value, f, indent=4)
+                logger.debug(f'{key} information saved to {fn}.')
+
+        return export
+
+    def to_exerpy(self, Tamb, pamb, exerpy_mappings):
+        """Export the network to exerpy
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        Tamb : float
+            Ambient temperature.
+        pamb : float
+            Ambient pressure.
+        exerpy_mappings : dict
+            Mappings for tespy components to exerpy components
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict
+            exerpy compatible input dictionary
+        """
+        component_json = {}
+        for comp_type in self.comps["comp_type"].unique():
+            if comp_type not in exerpy_mappings.keys():
+                msg = f"Component class {comp_type} not available in exerpy."
+                logger.warning(msg)
+                continue
+
+            key = exerpy_mappings[comp_type]
+            if key not in component_json:
+                component_json[key] = {}
+
+            for c in self.comps.loc[self.comps["comp_type"] == comp_type, "object"]:
+                component_json[key][c.label] = {
+                    "name": c.label,
+                    "type": comp_type
+                }
+
+        connection_json = {}
+        for c in self.conns["object"]:
+            c.get_physical_exergy(pamb, Tamb)
+
+            connection_json[c.label] = {
+                "source_component": c.source.label,
+                "source_connector": int(c.source_id.removeprefix("out")) - 1,
+                "target_component": c.target.label,
+                "target_connector": int(c.target_id.removeprefix("in")) - 1
+            }
+            connection_json[c.label].update({f"mass_composition": c.fluid.val})
+            connection_json[c.label].update({"kind": "material"})
+            for param in ["m", "T", "p", "h", "s"]:
+                connection_json[c.label].update({
+                    param: c.get_attr(param).val_SI,
+                    f"{param}_unit": c.get_attr(param).unit
+                })
+            connection_json[c.label].update(
+                {"e_T": c.ex_therm, "e_M": c.ex_mech, "e_PH": c.ex_physical}
+            )
+
+        from tespy.components.turbomachinery.base import Turbomachine
+        for label, bus in self.busses.items():
+
+            if "Motor" not in component_json:
+                component_json["Motor"] = {}
+            if "Generator" not in component_json:
+                component_json["Generator"] = {}
+
+            for i, (idx, row) in enumerate(bus.comps.iterrows()):
+                if isinstance(idx, Turbomachine):
+                    kind = "power"
+                else:
+                    kind = "heat"
+
+                if row["base"] == "component":
+                    component_label = f"generator_of_{idx.label}"
+                    connection_label = f"{idx.label}__{component_label}"
+                    connection_json[connection_label] = {
+                        "source_component": idx.label,
+                        "source_connector": 999,
+                        "target_component": component_label,
+                        "target_connector": 0,
+                        "mass_composition": None,
+                        "kind": kind,
+                        "energy_flow": abs(idx.bus_func(bus))
+                    }
+                    connection_label = f"{component_label}__{label}"
+                    connection_json[connection_label] = {
+                        "source_component": component_label,
+                        "source_connector": 0,
+                        "target_component": label,
+                        "target_connector": i,
+                        "mass_composition": None,
+                        "kind": kind,
+                        "energy_flow": abs(idx.calc_bus_value(bus))
+                    }
+                    component_json["Generator"][component_label] = {
+                        "name": component_label,
+                        "type": "Generator",
+                        "type_index": None,
+                    }
+
+                else:
+                    component_label = f"motor_of_{idx.label}"
+                    connection_label = f"{label}__{component_label}"
+                    connection_json[connection_label] = {
+                        "source_component": label,
+                        "source_connector": i,
+                        "target_component": component_label,
+                        "target_connector": 0,
+                        "mass_composition": None,
+                        "kind": kind,
+                        "energy_flow": idx.calc_bus_value(bus)
+                    }
+                    connection_label = f"{component_label}__{idx.label}"
+                    connection_json[connection_label] = {
+                        "source_component": component_label,
+                        "source_connector": 0,
+                        "target_component": idx.label,
+                        "target_connector": 999,
+                        "mass_composition": None,
+                        "kind": kind,
+                        "energy_flow": idx.bus_func(bus)
+                    }
+                    component_json["Motor"][component_label] = {
+                        "name": component_label,
+                        "type": "Motor",
+                        "type_index": None,
+                    }
+
+        return {
+            "components": component_json,
+            "connections": connection_json,
+            "ambient_conditions": {
+                "Tamb": Tamb,
+                "Tamb_unit": "K",
+                "pamb": pamb,
+                "pamb_unit": "Pa"
+            }
+        }
 
     def save(self, path):
         r"""
@@ -2708,20 +2867,6 @@ def _create_export_paths(self, path):
 
         return path, path_comps
 
-    def export_network(self, fn):
-        r"""
-        Save basic network configuration.
-
-        Parameters
-        ----------
-        fn : str
-            Path/filename for the network configuration file.
-        """
-        with open(os.path.join(fn, 'network.json'), 'w') as f:
-            json.dump(self._serialize(), f, indent=4)
-
-        logger.debug('Network information saved to %s.', fn)
-
     def save_connections(self, fn):
         r"""
         Save the connection properties.
@@ -2768,33 +2913,55 @@ def save_busses(self, fn):
                 json.dump(bus_data, f, indent=4)
             logger.debug('Bus information saved to %s.', fn)
 
-    def export_connections(self, fn):
+    def _export_network(self):
+        r"""Export network information
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict
+            Serialization of network object.
+        """
+        return self._serialize()
+
+    def _export_connections(self):
+        """Export connection information
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict
+            Serialization of connection objects.
+        """
         connections = {}
         for c in self.conns["object"]:
             connections.update(c._serialize())
+        return connections
 
-        fn = os.path.join(fn, "connections.json")
-        with open(fn, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
-            json.dump(connections, f, indent=4)
-        logger.debug('Connection information exported to %s.', fn)
+    def _export_components(self):
+        """Export component information
 
-    def export_components(self, fn):
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict
+            Dict of dicts with per class serialization of component objects.
+        """
+        components = {}
         for c in self.comps["comp_type"].unique():
-            components = {}
+            components[c] = {}
             for cp in self.comps.loc[self.comps["comp_type"] == c, "object"]:
-                components.update(cp._serialize())
+                components[c].update(cp._serialize())
 
-            fname = os.path.join(fn, f"{c}.json")
-            with open(fname, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
-                json.dump(components, f, indent=4)
-            logger.debug('Component information exported to %s.', fname)
+        return components
 
-    def export_busses(self, fn):
-        if len(self.busses) > 0:
-            busses = {}
-            for bus in self.busses.values():
-                busses.update(bus._serialize())
-            fn = os.path.join(fn, 'busses.json')
-            with open(fn, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
-                json.dump(busses, f, indent=4)
-            logger.debug('Bus information exported to %s.', fn)
+    def _export_busses(self):
+        """Export bus information
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        dict
+            Serialization of bus objects.
+        """
+        busses = {}
+        for bus in self.busses.values():
+            busses.update(bus._serialize())
+
+        return busses
diff --git a/src/tespy/networks/network_reader.py b/src/tespy/networks/network_reader.py
index f75ee033..ef3666db 100644
--- a/src/tespy/networks/network_reader.py
+++ b/src/tespy/networks/network_reader.py
@@ -55,12 +55,10 @@ def load_network(path):
     The structure of the path must be as follows:
 
     - Folder: path (e.g. 'mynetwork')
-    - Subfolder: components ('mynetwork/components') containing
-      {component_class_name}.json (e.g. HeatExchanger.json)
-
-    - connections.json
-    - busses.json
-    - network.json
+      - Component.json
+      - Connection.json
+      - Bus.json
+      - Network.json
 
     Example
     -------
@@ -130,7 +128,7 @@ def load_network(path):
     >>> nw.lin_dep
     False
     >>> nw.save('design_state')
-    >>> nw.export('exported_nwk')
+    >>> _ = nw.export('exported_nwk')
     >>> mass_flow = round(nw.get_conn('ambient air').m.val_SI, 1)
     >>> c.set_attr(igva='var')
     >>> nw.solve('offdesign', design_path='design_state')
@@ -173,8 +171,6 @@ def load_network(path):
     >>> shutil.rmtree('./exported_nwk', ignore_errors=True)
     >>> shutil.rmtree('./design_state', ignore_errors=True)
     """
-    path_comps = os.path.join(path, 'components')
-
     msg = f'Reading network data from base path {path}.'
     logger.info(msg)
 
@@ -184,13 +180,13 @@ def load_network(path):
     module_name = "tespy.components"
     _ = importlib.import_module(module_name)
 
-    files = os.listdir(path_comps)
-    for f in files:
-        if not f.endswith(".json"):
-            continue
-
-        component = f.replace(".json", "")
+    fn = os.path.join(path, "Component.json")
+    with open(fn, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        component_data = json.load(f)
+        msg = f"Reading component data from {fn}."
+        logger.debug(msg)
 
+    for component, data in component_data.items():
         if component not in component_registry.items:
             msg = (
                 f"A class {component} is not available through the "
@@ -201,13 +197,6 @@ def load_network(path):
             logger.warning(msg)
             continue
 
-        fn = os.path.join(path_comps, f)
-        msg = f"Reading component data ({component}) from {fn}."
-        logger.debug(msg)
-
-        with open(fn, "r", encoding="utf-8") as c:
-            data = json.load(c)
-
         target_class = component_registry.items[component]
         comps.update(_construct_components(target_class, data))
 
@@ -218,7 +207,7 @@ def load_network(path):
     nw = _construct_network(path)
 
     # load connections
-    fn = os.path.join(path, 'connections.json')
+    fn = os.path.join(path, 'Connection.json')
     msg = f"Reading connection data from {fn}."
     logger.debug(msg)
 
@@ -235,7 +224,7 @@ def load_network(path):
     logger.info(msg)
 
     # load busses
-    fn = os.path.join(path, 'busses.json')
+    fn = os.path.join(path, 'Bus.json')
     if os.path.isfile(fn):
 
         msg = f"Reading bus data from {fn}."
@@ -316,7 +305,7 @@ def _construct_network(path):
         TESPy network object.
     """
     # read network .json-file
-    fn = os.path.join(path, 'network.json')
+    fn = os.path.join(path, 'Network.json')
     with open(fn, 'r') as f:
         data = json.load(f)