Press Releases 2023

To pave the way for the industrial implementation of highly efficient perovskite-silicon PV modules, the tandem solar cells and modules must be reliably measured. Only then is it possible to make objective comparisons between different cells and modules and to make technological improvements. In contrast to conventional silicon PV modules, however, the calibration is considerably more challenging. A project consortium led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is therefore developing methods for characterizing perovskite-based tandem modules in the "Katana" project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate BMWK. The solar simulator specially built for this purpose by the company Wavelabs Solar Metrology Systems GmbH is now in use in the CalLab PV Modules of the research institute.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has developed a unique modular test stand for photovoltaic inverters with integrated arc fault detection. These integrated warning systems in inverters increase the safety of solar installations by initiating an automatic shut down in the event of arcing. With the newly published international standard IEC 63027, more reliable and realistic tests can be carried out on detectors. Fraunhofer ISE was involved in the development of the new test standard, which was published on May 3 2023.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, together with project partners, have developed a technical concept and design for a hydrogen production facility optimized for use at sea. Results have shown that it is technically and economically feasible to produce hydrogen directly at sea using a PEM electrolyzer. The work was carried out as part of the two-year »OffsH2ore« project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

Rigorous tests on photovoltaic (PV) modules, integrated PV systems, solar thermal collectors, inverters and other solar technologies are carried out, for the most part, in an indoor laboratory environment. Accompanying these are the long-term tests under real weather conditions lasting several years. Now researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE want to use the newly constructed, three-hectare test field near Freiburg, Germany, to combine the results from both test approaches. In particular, PV modules will be able to be evaluated faster and more accurately, by combining and comparing indoor laboratory measurement results with those from the test field. Today, Fraunhofer ISE ceremoniously opened its new outdoor testing facilities in Merdingen.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Bett, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and professor of physics at the University of Freiburg, and Dr. Frank Dimroth, department head of III-V and Concentrator Photovoltaics at Fraunhofer ISE receive the research award of the Werner Siemens Foundation (WSS), endowed with one million Swiss francs. The award is based on their scientific work with III-V semiconductor compounds in the field of highly efficient photovoltaics. They, together with five other teams, are finalists in the competition for the foundation's "Project of the Century".

Colored building-integrated photovoltaic (PV) modules that replace roof or façade elements can be an attractive alternative to the traditional blue-black solar PV installations. Until recently, colored modules came with considerable efficiency losses. Now, there is a solution available in the PV market: colored PV modules that deliver at least 90 percent of the electricity yield of an ordinary module. Megasol Energie AG, a module producer from Switzerland, holds a license for the MorphoColor® technology which was developed and patented by Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. Visitors at the BAU in Munich can view green and blue PV modules with the MorphoColor® technology at the Fraunhofer Building Innovation Alliance booth, and gold, silver and bronze-colored PV modules at the booth of Megasol Energie AG, from 17 to 22 April 2023.

Heat pumps are currently seeing something of a boom in the heating technology market. However, not every property has sufficient space to accommodate the external air unit needed for an air-to-water heat pump. Where space is limited, new solar thermal façade panels could provide a noiseless and space-saving alternative, as well as an attractive architectural feature. As part of its ongoing TABSOLAR III research project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is developing and testing just such a solution in collaboration with industry partners. It will be presenting a demonstration façade showcasing its TABSOLAR® panels at the BAU trade fair, from April 17 to 22 at Messe München.

Global experts on solar power strongly urge a commitment to the continued growth of photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing and deployment to power the planet, arguing that lowballing projections for PV growth while waiting for a consensus on other energy pathways or the emergence of technological last-minute miracles “is no longer an option.” In a joint paper published on April 7th in the latest issue of Science, the PV researchers determined that a sustained global growth in photovoltaics of 25 percent per year over the next decade is prerequisite for achieving a climate-neutral global energy system by 2050. The full paper can be accessed at https://www.science.org/stoken/author-tokens/ST-1121/full.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg have developed and patented an advanced cell and stack design for electrolyzers. This novel half-cell composite reduces the material and manufacturing costs for PEM electrolyzers and thus enables large-scale mass production. Fraunhofer ISE will present this half-cell composite along with other innovations for the hydrogen economy from April 17 to 21, 2023 at the Hannover Messe in Hall 13, Booth D35.

The higher the receiver temperature, the more efficiently a solar thermal power plant will operate. Convective thermal losses also have an important effect on yield. The HelioGLOW collaborative project by Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and industrial partners is working to address these challenges: The project team investigated a novel ceramic heat-transfer medium including power plant design and air wall for the thermal insulation of the receiver. The trend towards continuously improving production processes is reflected in the development of the Stellio heliostat. The results of the project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action are presented in the recently published final report.