Press Releases

In the future, charging stations along freeways, in parking lots or at logistics centers will have to deliver much more power in a short space of time than they do today. For this reason, new charging stations can no longer simply be connected to the low voltage power grid. In the project "MS-Tankstelle", Fraunhofer ISE and partners from industry therefore developed the medium voltage system technology for fast charging stations that will enable peak loads of several megawatts in the future. The technology, which uses efficient silicon carbide semiconductors and higher voltages, leads to lower material use and lower costs for fast charging stations. At the same time, the system is very efficient and can be flexibly applied to charging stations of different sizes and different vehicle types. A demonstrator of one charging point can be viewed at the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance booth at the E-World from 11-13 February in Essen, Germany (hall 5, D 126).

In Germany, net public electricity generation from renewable energy sources reached a record share of 62.7 percent in 2024. Solar power generation reached a new record of 72.2 terawatt hours in 2024, and the expansion of photovoltaics continued to exceed the federal government's targets. As the share of electricity generation from lignite (-8.4%) and hard coal (-27.6%) continued to fall sharply, the carbon dioxide emissions in the German electricity mix were lower than ever before. The balance of imported electricity rose to 24.9 terawatt hours. These figures are the results of an analysis presented by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. The analysis is based on the data available on the platform energy-charts.info.

Fraunhofer ISE and Fraunhofer UMSICHT have developed a prefabricated façade element with integrated photovoltaics for buildings that combines power generation, weather protection and thermal insulation. By eliminating the need for an additional substructure for the solar modules, this element can save large amounts of building materials, while speeding up installation during retrofits at the same time. Visitors to the BAU, the world's leading trade show held in Munich from January 13 to 17, 2025, can view two variants of the BIPV façade elements at the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance's stand. The façade element was developed as part of the Fraunhofer flagship project "BAU-DNS".

Artificial Intelligence (AI) helps heat pumps to operate more efficiently, by avoiding incorrect device settings and optimizing system operation. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is researching a new generation of smart heat pumps that use artificial neural networks to adapt to environmental conditions and to learn as conditions change. This increases both the energy efficiency and user comfort. Extensive simulations showed promising potential energy savings from 5 to 13 percent in addition to increased comfort. These results have been confirmed by measurements in an initial field test in a real building.

Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells made of stable materials and manufactured using scalable production processes are the prerequisite for the next technological leap in the photovoltaic industry. Over the past five years, six Fraunhofer Institutes combined their expertise in the Fraunhofer lighthouse project "MaNiTU" to identify the most sustainable paths for the market launch of such tandem solar cells. They were able to show for one that high cell efficiencies can be achieved using industry-oriented processes, however, that such high efficiencies were only currently achievable with lead perovskite materials. Based on these findings, the researchers developed suitable recycling concepts to ensure sustainability.

In the long term, Germany will have to import a large proportion of its green hydrogen and hydrogen-based synthesis products to meet its future needs. In the "HYPAT" project, a consortium of scientists and development workers have created a global hydrogen potential atlas that identifies and analyzes sustainable locations for the green hydrogen economy of the future. For the first time, a comprehensive overview of potential partner countries for coop-erative development with Germany is presented in detail, including potential trade volumes, production and transportation costs for 2030 and 2050.

The Institute of Psychology at the University of Freiburg and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE conducted a joint study on the social acceptance of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). The conclusions showed that the acceptance of integrated photovoltaics in urban areas is generally very high and that PV on modern buildings is viewed more positively than on historic buildings. The study also showed, however, that when PV modules are colored to match the building's roof or façade so that they are practically invisible, then the social acceptance is increased to the point where no difference is detected between the different building types.

A new study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE shows potential technological transformation paths towards climate neutrality by 2045 at the state level in Germany. The cross-sectoral energy system model "REMod" was used to quantify cost-optimized development paths for the energy, transport, industry and building sectors - including their necessary infrastructures. A variety of possible scenarios were considered. The study confirms the central role of electrification in a cost-efficient transformation, yet also the supplementary role of hydrogen for the industry, transport sector and power plants. The results indicate that a significant grid expansion is needed to transport electricity and hydrogen from northern Germany to the main consumption centers in western and southern Germany. In an energy system based largely on renewable energy, both energy generation and energy consumption must be made more flexible.

Batteries are a key building block for a successful energy transition, whether for the electrification of transport, the stabilization of the power grid or balancing fluctuations in green electricity. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has been conducting research along the entire battery value chain for many years. Now with today’s inauguration of the Center for Electrical Energy Storage, the institute has access to state-of-the-art laboratories which enable cutting-edge international research. Currently the institute’s research focus is on improving the sustainability, safety and performance of battery storage systems.

Large amounts of green hydrogen and power-to-X (PtX) products are indispensable for the industry’s transformation to climate-neutral processes. To guarantee the competitiveness of these industries in Germany, not only is hydrogen production within Germany necessary but also the cost-efficient import of PtX products. On behalf of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the World Energy Council (WEC), the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has investigated the production and supply costs of hydrogen in and from Colombia. The study that was published today focuses on three promising regions: Cartagena/Barranquilla, La Guajira, Valle del Cauca. Besides the technological conditions, environmentally and socially relevant criteria such as protected areas or indigenous communities were also considered.