Ongoing Research Project

Project in the Business Area: Hydrogen Technologies and Electrical Energy Storage; Topic: Sustainable Synthesis Products​; Duration: 12/2022 - 11/2028

The agricultural sector is facing new challenges. In the wake of climate change, strategies must be developed to avoid negative impacts on harvests. Orcharding in Germany is already affected by the consequences of climate change: rising temperatures, changes in precipitation distribution and increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as hail and heavy rain. As a result, commercial fruit growers are increasingly using hail protection nets and foil roofing to prevent quality and yield losses. The project "APV-Obstbau" (Agrivoltaic Orcharding) will investigate to what extent agrivoltaics can replace these protective measures in apple cultivation, which system design makes sense for this crop and in which way the agrivoltaic system affects crop yields. | Duration: 04/2020 - 03/2025

The "HYreland" project investigates the technological, economic, and environmental potential for the production of green hydrogen and its synthesis products in Ireland, taking into account their transport to Germany. The project partners analyze two sites for their economic feasibility and cost reduction potential. In addition, Ireland will be compared with other hydrogen producing countries. The project also examines the greenhouse gas efficiency of the hydrogen supply chains and assesses the suitability of the analyzed products according to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) of the European Union. | Duration: 11/2024 - 10/2025

The energy transition in the EU is resulting in a potential increase in resource requirements as well as relocation effects of raw material-related emissions abroad. Material efficiency, material substitution and the circular economy are increasingly being supported by political framework conditions, both to reduce the environmental impact of material production and to reduce supply risks in the supply chains. At the same time, the issue of local production and value creation to strengthen technological sovereignty is being given concrete form (e.g. IPCEI battery, EU Solar Energy Strategy, EU Critical Raw Materials Act, National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS)). However, detailed assessments of the effects of these resource strategies, taking into account the EU objectives in terms of environmental impact, energy requirements, resource requirements, costs of the energy transition and supply chain security and a recommendation on strategies for measures and instruments to leverage potential for sustainable and resource-saving developments are lacking. | Duration: 01/2025 - 12/2027

The aim of the »Quaze« project is to detect battery defects as early as possible in the production process by means of a new testing procedure. | Duration: 04/2023 - 03/2026

Inhomogeneities in battery cells have a negative impact on service life and jeopardize safe operation. Currently, there is a lack of suitable detection options in battery cell production to identify such defects reliably, quickly and cost-effectively. As part of the »SAMBA« research project, an ultrasound-based non-destructive testing method is being developed to inspect battery pouch cells for quality assurance purposes. Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM) is used to generate image data that is subsequently analyzed by an automated AI-based evaluation routine. The goal of the project is to build a demonstrator for the random rapid analysis of pouch cells and test it in a real-world operational environment. | Duration: 06/2023 - 05/2026

The digital transformation in research opens up numerous opportunities to develop innovative, data-based offerings and new, digital business models. For the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, this transformation is both a challenge and an opportunity, as digitalization requires not only the development of a suitable infrastructure but also a change in work culture towards standardized data management. A consistent digitalization of research and development activities will be indispensable in the future: on the one hand, in order to meet the requirements of national and international funding institutions in dealing with data, and on the other hand, in order to be able to compete internationally. | Duration: 02/2024 - 01/2027

Project in the Business Area: Hydrogen Technologies and Electrical Energy Storage; Topic: Battery Cell Technology; Duration: 06/2023 - 05/2025

Project in the Business Area: Photovoltaics, Hydrogen Technologies and Electrical Energy Storage; Topic: Photovoltaic Modules and Power Plants, Battery System Technology; Field of Work: Integrated Photovoltaics; Duration: 10/2022 - 04/2026

Electrical energy storage (EES) is a key element of the global energy transition. This applies to many regions in Germany as well as in the global south. In some cases, the latter have an inadequate energy supply infrastructure, but great potential for renewable power generation. Decentralized energy supply concepts based on renewable energies offer the opportunity for economic development here. EES can support by serving power grid stability in addition to the supply task. On the one hand, EESs must be sufficiently efficient under climate conditions, while at the same time being cost-effective and safe. Lithium-ion EES appear less suitable for this purpose, so alternative battery technologies are needed. | Duration: 02/2023 - 01/2026