News #20

Fraunhofer ISE Has a Revised Organizational Structure as of July 2023

The transformation of our energy system increasingly requires directed systemic solutions and approaches. As the largest solar research institute in Europe, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has been developing solutions for a sustainable and climate-neutral energy supply for over 40 years. To better align and network within and across its research and development services on an interdisciplinary basis, Fraunhofer ISE is reorganizing its competencies in the areas of energy provision, energy distribution, energy storage and energy utilization. As of July 2023, the institute will be divided into four divisions called "Photovoltaics," "Power Solutions," "Heat and Buildings," and "Hydrogen Technologies". An additional cross-disciplinary research area entitled "System Integration" will be established.

© Fraunhofer ISE
To better align and network within and across its research and development services on an interdisciplinary basis, Fraunhofer ISE is reorganizing its competencies as of July 2023.

"As the implementation of the energy transition progresses, the importance of sector integration and systemic solutions and approaches is growing," says Prof. Dr. Andreas Bett, one of the two institute directors at Fraunhofer ISE. Institute Director Prof. Dr. Hans-Martin Henning adds: "This development places new demands on accompanying research. Fraunhofer ISE is addressing this by regrouping its competencies in a new organizational structure."

With the reorganization, Fraunhofer ISE's numerous research fields which contribute to providing the necessary know-how for the energy transition will be able to work in a more interdisciplinary and cooperative manner on solutions for a sustainable and climate-neutral energy supply. From July 1, 2023, the Institute will have a new organizational structure as follows:

  • "Photovoltaics" under the direction of Prof. Dr. Stefan Glunz and PD Dr. Ralf Preu
  •  "Power Solutions" under the direction of Dr. Harry Wirth
  • "Heat and Buildings" under the direction of Dr. Peter Schossig
  • "Hydrogen Technologies" under the direction of Prof. Dr. Christopher Hebling

The area of solar cell research is to work more closely with the module development. Researchers in the Department of Photovoltaic Power Plants will be now grouped in the same division with researchers working in the departments of power electronics and battery storage technologies. In order to be able to better answer systemic questions, the new research area "System Integration" under the direction of Prof. Dr. Christof Wittwer will be established. In this area, comprehensive solutions for sustainable energy supply systems are to be researched and developed, drawing on the expertise in the four divisions that is more technologically oriented and includes the system implementation together with customers like operators of commercial properties or industrial companies.

The new organizational structure of Fraunhofer ISE with the four divisions, their departments and contact persons can be found on the website at

https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/about-us/organizational-structure.html

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