About us
Research for a climate-neutral, sustainable and cost-effective energy supply of the future
The Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (HI ERN) investigates and develops material- and process-based solutions for a climate-neutral, sustainable, and cost-effective utilization of renewable energies. The institute works on the structural and functional characterization, modeling, and processing of materials relevant to hydrogen and solar technology. The common goal is the understanding of structure-performance-process relationship on the mesoscale.
The HI ERN was founded on 20 August 2013 as a branch office of Forschungszentrum Jülich in order to facilitate close cooperation between Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB).
The collaboration will enable research and development of material- and process-based solutions for climate-neutral, sustainable and cost-effective utilization of renewable energies. The collaboration relates to the areas of innovative materials and processes for photovoltaic energy systems and hydrogen as a storage and carrier medium for CO2-neutral energy. The collaboration relates to the areas of innovative materials and processes for photovoltaic energy systems and hydrogen as a storage and carrier medium for CO2-neutral energy.
The institute comprises eight professorships, which receive annual funding from the Helmholtz Association. The Free State of Bavaria also provided one-time funding for joint research projects in the initial development phase and for a new research building. Around two thirds of the employees work in the headquarters, which will be inaugurated in 2021 on the southern campus of FAU in Erlangen, on a floor space of 3,200 m². Other sites are also located on the campus as well as in Nuremberg.
Eight research departments with over 180 employees from more than 30 different nations are currently working to achieve HI ERN's research goals. (more)
Funding
HI ERN as part of Forschungszentrum Jülich is funded by the Helmholtz Association (90 % Federal Republic of Germany, 10 % Free State of Bavaria) on the one hand, and by the implementation of third-party funded projects to a considerable extent on the other hand.
Organization
The HI ERN is part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (HGF). With more than 46,000 employees and an annual budget of 5,9 billion euros, the HGF is the largest scientific organisation in Germany.