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Callum Gannon received the Gerda Ruf Award 2025 for his outstanding master's thesis in the field of solar cell metallization. The juniorscientist conducted his research at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Freiburg and at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. Under the title “Development of a Laser Structured Electroplating Mask for III-V//Si Solar Cell Metallization,” Gannon investigated a novel approach to front-side metallization for highly efficient III-V solar cells. The Gerda Ruf Award is funded by the Fritz Hüttinger Foundation.

For their research project on highly efficient solar cells, Prof. Dr. Stefan Glunz from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and the University of Freiburg, Prof. Dr. Christoph Ballif from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), and Dr. Stéphane Collin from the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Paris have received a Synergy Grant. The funding from the European Research Council (ERC) supports excellent international research teams.

The goal of "Heat Pumps Watch" is to collect, evaluate, and present scientific findings on heat pumps making them easy to understand and useful for different target groups. The spin-off led by scientist Dr. Marek Miara from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg aims to provide orientation on the topic of heat pumps for professionals, policymakers, and homeowners considering a change in their heating systems. Heat Pumps Watch is a non-profit organization, and its first project is funded by the Climate Neutrality Foundation.

A variety of German and European manufacturers of industrial heat pumps are technologically well-positioned and preparing for the market breakthrough of the technology. Real laboratories with 'early adopters' could provide a boost for a wide market introduction. This conclusion was reached during a workshop organized by the German Energy Research Network (“Forschungsnetzwerk Energie”), which included over 10 manufacturers of industrial heat pumps and heat pump components, as well as representatives from the manufacturing industry. The recently published results report outlines specific recommendations for policymakers.

Heat pumps provide efficient and climate-friendly heating also in existing buildings. This is the conclusion of a research project by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. Over four years, researchers conducted detailed measurements on 77 heat pumps in single-family to three-family homes. The result: the heat pumps achieved seasonal performance factors ranging from 2.6 to 5.4. The CO2 emissions of the heat pumps, calculated for the first time considering time-variable factors, were 64 percent lower in 2024 compared to those of natural gas heating systems. The research team also conducted long-term sound measurements and investigated how photovoltaic systems can be integrated into heat pump operation. In addition to Fraunhofer ISE, two energy suppliers and nine heat pump manufacturers participated in the project.