Press Release 8/12, April 16, 2012

On Monday April 16, 2012 the 8^th International Conference on Concentrating Photovoltaic Systems (CPV-8) begins in the Spanish city of Toledo. This is one of the most important events in the branch. Black Photon Instruments, a spin-off company of the Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems ISE will be represented at the conference with its own exhibition stand for the first time. Located at Booth No. 18, the company from Freiburg will present measuring instruments and sensors to improve the efficiency of concentrating photovoltaic systems. With this specialization, Black Photon Instruments has successfully entered one of the many market niches in the solar branch.

Black Photon Instruments GmbH is a young start-up company located in Freiburg, Germany. It manufactures measuring instruments and sensors to, for example, measure the solar spectrum or determine the tracking precision in concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems. In CPV systems, sunlight is concentrated onto small, highly efficient multi-junction solar cells which are mounted on trackers to follow the sun throughout the day. Two decisive parameters for optimum operation are the efficient conversion of the incident solar radiation into electricity and accurate solar tracking. At the CPV-8 in Toledo, Black Photon Instruments presents first details about its newly developed complete systems, which record and evaluate both the meteorological data and system operating data. The team of four representing Black Photon at CPV-8 will also be giving oral presentations at the conference, among other topics on the spectral characteristics of the solar radiation worldwide.

“With Black Photon Instruments GmbH, Fraunhofer ISE has once again launched a spin-off company with great potential. The founding idea behind the company is the further development, production and marketing of spectral sensors based on III-V component cells developed at Fraunhofer ISE,” says Dr. Andreas Bett, Deputy Director of Fraunhofer ISE and Division Director of Materials – Solar Cells and Technologies. The solar spectrum can be analyzed using component cells. In particular, one can determine how changes in the solar spectrum due to weather and climate ultimately affect the CPV power plant yield. Fraunhofer ISE has many years of R&D experience in this field.

Positive Response: Measuring technology from Black Photon Instruments establishes itself on the market

“We are delighted about the spin-off and its successful entry into the international market. About two years after being spun-off, Black Photon Instruments is standing on its own two feet and is working for clients from Freiburg, Germany to Colorado, USA,” says Dr. Joachim Jaus, CEO of Black Photon Instruments. After the company successfully started with the manufacture and sales of spectral sensors, it expanded its portfolio to develop high precision measurement devices to determine the sun’s position for use in CPV systems. The measurement devices developed and manufactured by Black Photon Instruments, record the tracker accuracy with extremely high precision. As a result, the performance can be analyzed with regard to any changes made on the tracker construction,
i. e. reducing the material thickness. The results and their analyses are important factors for the further development of trackers and for increasing the efficiency of CPV systems. Due to its relevance, the measurement of tracking systems is also the topic of a conference contribution by Black Photon Instruments at the CPV-8.

Close Ties: Continued cooperation with Fraunhofer ISE

Today Black Photon Instruments and Fraunhofer ISE still maintain a link. They have sealed a cooperative agreement and are working intensively on the further development of spectral sensors. At the end of 2011, Black Photon Instruments received one of the sponsored projects from the German Environmental Foundation (DBU) to develop new sensors for measuring the spectral characteristics of global radiation. In close cooperation with, among others, the CalLab PV Cells and the Concentrating Technology and Evaluation Center (ConTEC) of Fraunhofer ISE, calibrations and comparative measurements of PV module performance as well as aging tests were performed.

Visit Black Photon Instruments from 16.–18. April 2012 at the 8^th International Conference on Concentrating Photovoltaic Systems CPV-8 in Toledo, Spain, Booth No. 18.

About Black Photon Instruments

Black Photon Instruments GmbH was founded as a spin-off of Fraunhofer ISE in July 2010. The company focuses on the development, production and marketing of measurement technology used for the monitoring and operation of solar power plants as well as research on solar radiation. Black Photon Instruments GmbH is located in Freiburg, Germany and has four employees at present. Dr. Joachim Jaus is the CEO. He worked on this Ph.D. thesis at Fraunhofer ISE and the University of Freiburg, and spent some time as a researcher at the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems CSE in Boston, MA USA.

www.black-photon.de

Press Release 7/12, April 12, 2012

Given the growing importance of photovoltaics for the provision of electricity from renewable energy sources, the issues of reliability and efficiency of PV modules are becoming increasingly crucial. The workshop ”PV Module Reliability”, which will take place on May 3 and 4, 2012 in Lugano, is devoted to this complex key topic. Under the auspices of the EU project ”SOPHIA”, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and the ISAAC Supsi invite the international public involved in the field of photovoltaics to discuss the current state of the art and to attempt to integrate existing industry requirements into the durability of modules in research and testing practices. Online registration is possible until 30.4.2012 using the following link: http://form-gen.app.supsi.ch/form/view.php?id=8

Focusing on reliability and operating life, the workshop organizers Fraunhofer ISE and ISAAC Supsi seek to meet the needs of the PV industry, which has become increasingly concerned with quality assurance issues and the reliable operating life and yield predictions of modules. After all, the optimization of PV module reliability creates new challenges for researchers, manufacturers and certifiers; thus, the balance between sustainability and economics in particular must be redefined. The question of the relationship between reliability and security, the implementation of non-destructive measurements for the determination of efficiency, durability, and the requirements of application-oriented tests are also aspects of the workshop, as well as the search for possible causes of deviations from specifications and requirements on the part of investors and insurance companies.

Renowned Experts

Peter Hacke (NREL), Tony Sample (JRC), Thomas Friesen (ISAAC Supsi) and Michael Köhl (Fraunhofer ISE) provide an overview of the following topics in their respective presentations: “Mechanical Load“, “Potential Induced Degradation and Moisture”, ”UV Radiation and Moisture”, “Possible Errors and their Effects” und “Materials”. Michael Köhl, Fraunhofer ISE host and speaker, explains the trend toward a more specific analysis of module reliability as follows: ”The market has grown significantly in recent years and many new competitors have crowded their way into this attractive market of the future. They bring with them new materials and concepts that need to be qualified, and their long-term stability must be put to the test in a short time, requiring extensive research in this sector.“

Successful Continuation

During the first “PV Module Reliability” workshop in 2011, 130 participants from 13 countries discussed various issues surrounding the reliability of PV modules such as material test procedures, reexamined questions and results which had come up in the final plenary discussion, and provided industrial and research partners with an important impetus for further action in regards to optimizing the reliability of PV modules. In small groups, topics such as quality assurance, operating life predictions or material requirements were addressed and debated in terms of their practical implementation.

About the Organizers

Established in 1981 in Freiburg, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is the largest solar energy research institute in Europe. For years, researchers at Fraunhofer ISE, e.g. as part of the EU project ”PV PERFORMANCE“ or the national project ”Reliability of PV modules“ (funded by the the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and industry partners), have been focusing on topics such as efficiency and durability of PV modules and materials. The emphasis is on material requirements, economic feasibility and potential improvements in module design.

The ISAAC Supsi is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year. In May 1982, the TISO (Ticino Solare) connected a 10 kW PV system – which is still fully functional today – to the grid for the first time in Europe. The Institute for Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment (ISAAC) has emerged from what was then a small group of researchers. Of its approximately 50 employees, about 20 are working and researching in the field of photovoltaics.

Press Release 6/12, April 12, 2012

The market launch of fuel cell systems is picking up speed. With the objective to develop standards for the approval, certification and standardization of hydrogen and fuel cell components and systems, an expert platform made up of three German research institutes has now been formed. The participating institutions are the Center for Fuel Cell Technology (ZBT) in Duisburg, the Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg as well as NEXT ENERGY in Oldenburg.

The accredited Testing Laboratory for Fuel Cell Technology (PBT) at ZBT in Duisburg as well as the Test Lab Fuel Cells at Fraunhofer ISE offer testing according to the standards for fuel cell modules and micro fuel cells. “These tests are required for the certification of fuel cell products and provide a legal cover for manufacturers,” explains Joachim Jungsbluth, head of the PBT in Duisburg. Dr. Jürgen Wolf, Head of the Test Lab Fuel Cells at Fraunhofer ISE adds: “At our testing centers, we are pleased to be able to offer companies direct access to the required tests.”

PBT, Fraunhofer ISE and NEXT ENERGY have been involved in the German and international standardization committees for many years. Moreover, Dr. Alexander Dyck, Division Director of Fuel Cells at NEXT ENERGY comments, “With our active cooperation in the standardization committees, we want to strengthen the interests of the German fuel cell industry in the international arena.”

In a recently organized workshop attended by more than 45 experts from industry, research and special interest groups, information about experiences with approval and certification as well as standardization work was presented. The discussion emphasized the huge number of documents required in the certification process. All manufacturers of certificated fuel cell products recommend that technical advisers be integrated at a very early phase in the product planning. Here can Fraunhofer ISE, NEXT ENERGY and PBT offer their expertise. The communication with component manufacturers assists the approval of the components due to the mutual adaptation of established testing methods. Further, clarifications with respect to product liability are also expedited more easily.

At NEXT ENERGY in Oldenburg, a follow-up workshop is planned for spring 2013.  The workshop aim is to gain information about the different certification facilities and the services offered. Another focus is to promote the informational exchange on complex themes.

Press Release 5/12, April 12, 2012

The fraction of renewable energy in the energy mix is continually increasing. The development of storage solutions for an energy supply based on one hundred percent renewable energy is speeding ahead. Renewably generated hydrogen plays a central role in this scenario, enabling a zero-emission energy supply across all applications. The Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg presents a look into the future of fuel cell and hydrogen technology at the Hanover Trade Fair 2012 from the 23^rd to the 27^th of April, 2012 in Hall 27, Booth C60.

Sustainable Mobility

This year at the beginning of March, Fraunhofer ISE inaugurated a publically accessible, solar hydrogen filling station in Freiburg. The hydrogen is generated by electrolysis using advanced membrane technology. An on-site photovoltaic system provides the electricity on a yearly average. The filling station has the capacity to refuel passenger cars with 700 bar compressed gas storage and buses with 350 bar storage pressure. Reusable storage canisters with 200 bar or 350 bar can also be refilled. The filling station itself was promoted by the State of Baden-Württemberg, the operation by the National Organization Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology NOW.

Zero-emission mobility becomes possible through battery-driven electric vehicles for urban use and through fuel cell vehicles, which are especially suitable for longer distances and larger vehicles even up to buses. For several years now, Fraunhofer ISE has a Toyota Prius in use for research purposes. Now the institute could also take on two fuel cell vehicles of the type B-Class F-Cell from Daimler.

"We are proud to be one of the few research facilities which can test future mobility concepts in both forms, battery-driven electric and hydrogen fuel cell, and compare their performance," says Dr. Christopher Hebling, Division Director of Energy Technology at Fraunhofer ISE.

Storage for Renewable Energy Supply

With the planned expansion of renewable energy in Germany and worldwide, the need for electric and electro-chemical storage solutions is increasing. Storage solutions are necessary to absorb the fluctuations inherent in renewable energy sources. Electrolysers, which split water into hydrogen and oxygen upon the input of electricity, open up the possibility to store the electricity from renewable energy sources on an economically viable scale. Using the electrolyser in the solar filling station, Fraunhofer ISE is working on a project to investigate the use of electrolysis in Demand Side Management, that is, as a way to control the stability in the electric grid. Besides analyzing such technical system aspects, the institute also deals with the development of membrane electrolysers, which are particularly suited for coupling with renewable energy systems. At the Hannover Messe, single cell components will be exemplarily shown at the booth. Dr. Tom Smolinka, Group Leader of Chemical Energy Storage remarks, "Characterized by high power dynamics, compact construction and high efficiency, hydrogen coupled with PEM electrolysis offers the prerequisites that we need to solve the electrical storage question in a renewable energy economy." Fraunhofer ISE also shows its developments on redox flow batteries, a technology which is also excellently suited to buffer fluctuations in the power grid.

Fuel Cells on the Test Bench

On its own specially developed test stand, Fraunhofer ISE investigates the behavior of fuel cells in the everyday application. The test stand is autonomous and suitable for outside use. For statistical considerations, thirty test cells are operated in parallel. Thus it is possible to analyze different materials and load situations simultaneously. Four such test stands were installed at four Freiburg locations with very different air pollutant loads. At present, they have been in operation for more than 4,000 hours. In combination with the available measurement stations for air analytics at the respective site, ageing effects due to environmental pollution can be identified.

Portable Fuel Cells for Medicine

Besides for mobility, fuel cells are also required for portable applications. In Hanover, Fraunhofer ISE presents a system with a power output of 100 W. It is used for recharging batteries in the field of emergency medicine. The developers of the low temperature fuel cell system are especially proud of the cold start capability. Its everyday suitability has been proven in the institute’s climate chamber for temperatures ranging between -15 °C and +50 °C. In addition, the system was developed according to the appropriate standards, enabling licensees to achieve fast certification and approval. "With our wide-ranging services from consultation and testing of a standard-based development through to the testing of fuel cell products under near reality conditions, we can now further support our customers in the successful marketing of their products," remarks a visibly pleased Ulf Groos, Department Head of Fuel Cell Systems, as he describes the services at the newly opened Test Lab Fuel Cells at Fraunhofer ISE.

Even in the smallest power range, micro fuel cells are helpful. At the Fraunhofer ISE booth in Hanover, the music at the coffee bar, an annual tradition continued this year, comes out of two wireless loudspeakers, a development of Fraunhofer IDMT in Ilmenau. The energy supply for the loud- speakers is supplied by a hydrogen-powered micro fuel cell from Fraunhofer ISE.

Press Release 4/12, March 5, 2012

On March 2, 2012, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems inaugurated a solar hydrogen filling station. Sponsored by the Ministry of the Environment Baden-Wuerttemberg, the publically accessible filling station serves not only as a demonstration platform but also represents a milestone in the progressive network of hydrogen filling stations being set up in the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. The energy transformation with the significant expansion of renewable energies needs hydrogen both as a long-term storage and as fuel for the mobility sector. Using electricity generated from solar or wind power, hydrogen is produced by means of electrolysis.  Once tanked with hydrogen in a fueling time of about only 3 minutes, fuel cell cars can travel a distance of more than 400 km.

“The State of Baden-Württemberg promotes the expansion of the hydrogen infrastructure, and herewith supports the national automobile industry and its suppliers towards a sustainable, future-proof mobility. With the new solar hydrogen filling station in Freiburg, we are also pleased to have a research platform linking renewable energy and electric mobility.  Because, we can only achieve our energy and climate-political aims with ‘green hydrogen’ – that is hydrogen generated from renewable energy sources,” says Helmfried Meinel Director General, Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and Energy Sector for Baden-Wuerttemberg during his talk at the opening ceremony.

The hydrogen filling station in Freiburg is one of the few stations that exhibits the entire value chain – starting from electricity generated from renewable energy, through electrolysis and ultimately to refueling the vehicle with hydrogen. Since its founding, Fraunhofer ISE has been working on electrolysis technology, hydrogen for use in fuel cells and on hydrogen as electrical energy storage for renewably generated power. The hydrogen filling station serves as a reference project for the researchers in their quest to develop emission-free mobility for the future. Equally interesting are electrolysers which operate as flexible loads. They serve to stabilize intermittencies in the grid due to the fluctuating feed-in from renewable energy systems.

“The consequent transformation of our energy supply system to one hundred percent renewable energy is one of the essential challenges for our society in the coming years,” states Prof. Eicke R. Weber, director of Fraunhofer ISE. He adds: “On the question of storage, hydrogen plays a prominent role. With hydrogen, surplus electricity can be stored in any given amount and be delivered upon demand to, for example, the mobility sector.”

“The electrification of the motorized private transport (MPT) is an essential requirement for the development of an emission-free and sustainable mobility,” says Dr. Christopher Hebling, Director Energy Technology Division at Fraunhofer ISE. “Especially in the mobility sector, hydrogen displays its strengths: in particular, the short fueling time required of 3 minutes and the distance range per tank which lies already over 400 km at present.“

Renowned automobile manufactures have affirmed their plans to manufacture fuel cell vehicles beyond low volume production as of 2015. Leading companies from the oil industry and major electric utilities have formed the joint initiative H2 Mobility. Their goal is to build up a hydrogen infrastructure nationwide in Germany by 2017. With the new filling station at Fraunhofer ISE, the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg has achieved a milestone in its infrastructure program. The City of Freiburg is greatly pleased about its new flagship project. First Mayor of Freiburg, Otto Neideck says, “The City of Freiburg and the surrounding region, which shows strong involvement in innovative energy and environmental technology, are excellently suited as a model region for testing new concepts for electric vehicles under daily operating conditions.”

The main components of the filling station are a 30 bar pressure electrolyser, a mechanical compressor for hydrogen compression to 700 bar, puffer storage at two different pressure levels and pumps for dispensing the hydrogen. Automobiles, busses and bikes powered by fuel cells can be tanked at the filling station. At Fraunhofer ISE, fuel cells customized for the integration in bikes were developed.

The energy needed to generate and store the hydrogen is supplied, in part, by the photovoltaic arrays mounted on the filling station roof and on the neighbouring building. The electricity from the PV system, which is recorded for the energy balance, is fed into the electricity grid through an inverter.

At the opening ceremony, over one hundred invited guests visited the new filling station. They could try their hand at the pumps and have a test drive in the fuel cell operated automobiles. Among the cars at the opening was a Mercedes Benz F-CELL World Drive that has already been driven once around the world.  A further highlight at the opening ceremony was the guided tour of the newly constructed Test Lab Fuel Cell located at Fraunhofer ISE.