News 2021

On July 27, 2021, the Gips-Schüle Young Scientist Award was presented in Tübingen. The Gips-Schüle Foundation annually honors outstanding doctoral theses in Baden-Württemberg in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology. Dr. Markus Feifel received a certificate of outstanding achievements in the category of science and engineering for his doctoral thesis on tandem photovoltaics, carried out at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg.

Northern Chile, one of the driest regions on the earth, has extensive geothermal resources. With innovative combined cycle power plants (CCPP), climate-friendly electricity can be generated and fresh water and mineral resources extracted at the same time. To this end, the German-Chilean research project “BrineMine”, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, was launched in 2019 to develop strategies and technologies in this field. As part of the project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is developing the plant technology for subsequent industrial use. Part of the process chain has already been successfully demonstrated in operation in a geothermal power plant in the Upper Rhine Graben.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and the Dutch Research Councel (NWO) institute AMOLF have started a strategic cooperation in the field of metamaterials for optical applications. In the project "Metasurfaces for Energy Efficient Devices" (MEEt), the partners are developing metamaterials for solar cells, LEDs and optical sensors and the processes for their production. The joint project will run for three years and is funded by the Fraunhofer International Cooperation and Networking (ICON) program.

EUREC - The Association of European Renewable Energy Research Centers – is holding a public workshop “Europe’s PV Value Chain Working Together” on 9 June from 13:30 to 16:30 CET. The online workshop will focus on the possibility for new players in European PV cell manufacturing to work together to achieve cost-efficiency. The agenda also features presentations from research centres on cell technologies at different stages of maturity.

Due to the Corona pandemic, the SOPHIA workshop "PV-Module Reliability" has to be cancelled for the second time and will be postponed to 2022. As a replacement, the organizers from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL and Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE will offer a free compact webinar on June 9-10, 2021.

Agrivoltaics combines the agricultural use of land with the generation of electrical energy by photovoltaics. It provides the chance to establish solutions for the dual production of food crops and electricity under consideration of soil protection and water savings. The 2nd International AgriVoltaics conference is the first international conference dedicated to this technology. The second conference will be held as an online event from June 14 to 16 and will cover aspects from the basic science to the application. The program contains scientific presentations and invited high-level keynote talks. An exhibition and a technical virtual tour to agrivoltaic installations, from innovative test facilities to best practice examples, will supplement the program.

"Innovative projects and creative ideas for the circular economy and recycling" were distinguished on March 18, 2021 on the occasion of World Recycling Day. The event is held as an initiative of the World Recycling Association and the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) to highlight the importance of recycling. As part of the event, the Federal Association of the German Waste Management Industry e.V. (BDE), the Federal Association of German Steel Recycling and Disposal Companies e. V. (BDSV) and the Association of German Metal Traders e. V. (VDM) distinguish the most promising circular economy start-ups for their ideas. In the last ten years alone, around 2,400 startups have been founded in the circular economy sector. This year's winners include a spin-off project from Fraunhofer ISE, which was awarded third place for a process already patented in the field of circular economy. The innovation developed at Fraunhofer ISE enables the substitution of silver with copper in the production of silicon heterojunction solar cells.

Hydrogen is a storable energy carrier, which makes it an essential component in a fossil-free sustainable energy system. Hydrogen technologies not only serve as a link between the transformations in the energy and mobility sectors but also are important for intelligent energy management and hold a key position in industry’s transition toward a sustainable value chain. The major challenge lies in the sustainable, and thus environmentally friendly, hydrogen production in large quantities. Solar energy plays a central role here. In the joint project "H2Demo", funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, eleven partners are working on demonstrators for direct solar water splitting.

Organized by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and the University of Freiburg, the 10th DACH+ Conference on Energy Informatics will be held in Freiburg, Germany from September 16-17, 2021. It is part of a conference series promoting research, development, and the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the energy sector. It is intended to foster the exchange in the German-Austrian-Swiss region and neighboring countries (DACH+). The pre-conference 12th Energy Informatics Doctoral Workshop will be held on September 14-15. The organizers seek high-quality original contributions on the topics of smart energy systems, the integration of intermittent renewable generation and energy efficiency gains through ICT, market approaches and mechanisms for ICT-enabled energy systems as well as data-driven decisions.

The planned spin-off “PV2Plus” of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is among the recipients of the Science4Life Energy Cup in the concept phase. At the awards ceremony on March 2, 2021, the PV2Plus research team was awarded for their development of a patented, low-cost electroplating process which will enable solar cell manufacturers to replace conventional silver contacts with copper contacts. This process can help solve the problem of silver availability and reduce costs for solar cell contacting and thus lead to increased solar cell production which is urgently needed for the energy transition. The project team will receive intensive coaching and will be working with industry experts to optimize its business plan.