A method for bus arbitration is for use when working with multi-carrier modulation methods. Each user on a bus is assigned a unique address which identifies the user and which is transmitted upon each initiation of communication. The address is represented as a sequence of binary numerals, the number of bits of the binary numerals being equal to the number of carriers used in the multi-carrier modulation method. This sequence of binary numerals is transmitted successively for the arbitration via the multi-carrier modulation method, a user being eliminated from the arbitration when a further user at the same time has transmitted a binary numeral having higher priority. The transmission of the binary numeral may be repeated if the arbitration of the numeral does not lead to a result in one step. The method for bus arbitration may be used advantageously in a system for contactless energy supply. A redundant sending of phase-shifted signals reduces the failure rate because of random destructive interference.