Press Releases 2019

The speedy reduction of worldwide CO2 emissions is one of the most pressing and challenging tasks of our time. Alongside the strategy of avoiding CO2 emissions altogether, there are a number of technologies which transform unavoidable CO2 into valuable products. But these so-called power-to-X processes are currently still inefficient and expensive. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS in Dresden have developed reactors based on ceramics, which use CO2 and water vapor to produce raw materials for the chemical industry in a much more efficient and climate-neutral way.

The Center for Energy Storage (CES) at the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT in Sulzbach-Rosenberg was opened on October 2. The new research facility develops industry-oriented technologies for energy and heat recovery. The new building received a total of EUR 5 million in funding from the Free State of Bavaria, the Federal Government and the EU.

As of today, the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructures of Materials and Systems IMWS in Halle (Saale) will be headed by Prof. Dr. Matthias Petzold, previously deputy Head of the Institute. Prof. Dr. Ralf B. Wehrspohn, under whose leadership the research institute has developed into an independent institute focusing on microstructure diagnostics and microstructure design, will at the same time assume his new position as Executive Board Member for Technology Marketing and Business Models of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

For the very first time in the world, Fraunhofer IWES is measuring the aerodynamics of wind turbines with a rated power of more than five megawatts (MW). The aerodynamic properties of the AD 8 wind turbine, with rated power of 8 MW and rotor diameter of 180 m, are being measured at the site in Bremerhaven and compared against complex models in the scope of the “HighRe” research and development project. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) with a budget of € 4 million. This way it shall be assessed whether the model calculations used to date are also valid for large wind turbines, which will primarily be built offshore in the future.

From industry-driven solar cells with efficiency values of more than 22 percent to effective new metallization processes for contacting solar cells — the Photovoltaic Technology Evaluation Center (PV-TEC) at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg has enjoyed numerous technological successes. The research factory, which was rebuilt and significantly expanded in 2018, is the largest R&D center for crystalline silicon solar cells in Europe.

Meeting Germany’s climate protection targets will require a significant expansion of photovoltaics. Depending on the scenario, up to 500 gigawatts of installed PV power output could be needed by 2050. To avoid land-use conflicts and public resistance to this massive expansion, minimizing the additional space occupied by solar modules and seeking out potential synergies is crucial. From September 9 to 13, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE will be at the EU PVSEC in Marseille (booth F 5) to introduce ideas and technologies for the successful integration of photovoltaics into the built environment.

Together with their project partners, scientists at the Photovoltaic Technology Evaluation Center PV-TEC at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg have succeeded in improving the traditional screen printing process for the fine-line metallization of silicon solar cells. Using specially developed fine-line screens, the project team was able to create contact fingers with a width of merely 19 µm and a height of 18 µm in a single printing step. This means that up to 30 percent less silver is needed, which in turn leads to a significant reduction in manufacturing costs.

The demand for electric vehicles is increasing worldwide. To extend the driving range, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has developed a solar car roof with highly efficient solar cells. The roof can be coated in any color, with the solar cells integrated invisibly into the preformed solar roof. The photovoltaic cells with a nominal power of about 210 W/m² provide sustainable electricity for a daily mileage of about 10 km with an average electric car on a sunny day. Calculated over one year, the driving range can be extended by about 10 percent. At the joint booth of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Hall 4.1, Booth C 12) at the Frankfurt Motor Show IAA, Fraunhofer ISE presents two solar car roofs in different colors.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have once again succeeded in raising the efficiency value of monolithic triple-junction solar cells made of silicon and III-V semiconductor materials. Using a combination of multiple absorber materials, these multi-junction photovoltaic cells exploit the energy from the solar spectrum significantly better than conventional silicon solar cells. The world record for a monolithic multi-junction solar cell manufactured by wafer bonding has been increased to 34.1% and an efficiency record of 24.3% achieved for a solar cell with the III-V semiconductor layers deposited directly on the silicon.

How can we achieve the internationally agreed climate targets? The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB makes the greenhouse gas CO2 usable as a carbon source for the chemical industry. With a patented catalyst synthesis, screening for the optimal catalyst in high throughput and combined (electro)chemical-biotechnological processes, various concepts are available to CO2 emitting industries. The platform chemical ethylene has already been successfully produced from CO2 in an electrochemical demonstrator with an electrode area of 130 square centimeters.