Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE
Share of fluctuating renewable electricity sources is rapidly increasing in modern energy supply systems. The development of a sustainable transport sector – from light electric vehicles, electric cars, electric and hybrid commercial vehicles, to an increasing use of electricity in the maritime sector as well as in aviation – is unstoppable. In parallel, the number of portable devices in the professional and private sectors is also rising sharply. All these applications require highly efficient, effective, safe and reliable electrical storage systems.
As part of the topic "Applied Storage Systems", we research the optimal integration and operation of storage systems in their specific application areas. The focus is always on the overall system, thanks to our interdisciplinary perspective and expertise. In close collaboration with our renowned partners, we assess our customers from project development phases, by modelling and optimizing systems in the project development phases, and act as advisors and independent quality assurance agents throughout construction and implementation phases, integrating storage within complex energy systems for a wide range of applications.
One focus of our work is to check, evaluate and certify normative requirements set by customers by means of end-to-end quality assurance, covering safety aspects and risks assessment, as well as reliability and robustness of energy supply systems.
We advise our customers through the entire value chain from safety-relevant material issues at cell level through components and their system integration to the safe and reliable operation of the entire electrical power supply. Our extensive know-how covers a wide range of applications: Off-grid or grid-connected as well as stationary or mobile applications.
What is the ideal operating temperature for electric cars? At what temperature do they perform best? The participants of the European research project JOSPEL are addressing just these questions by assessing the optimization potential of electric vehicles. The project aim is to increase the energy efficiency and range of electric vehicles by applying efficient and cost-effective climate control solutions especially developed for battery electric vehicles. Experts at Fraunhofer ISE are working with industry partners on optimizing battery operation, with the goal of increasing battery lifetime through improved thermal management.