2023

New Board of Directors: Dr. Peter Jansens started at the beginning of the year

At the beginning of the year, Dr. Ir. Peter Jansens took over as the new Executive Board member responsible for the Scientific Division II of Forschungszentrum Jülich, which includes the Helmholtz Institute for Renewable Energy (HI ERN).

New algorithm enables weather data-independent identification of performance deficits in photovoltaic systems

For photovoltaic power stations to operate successfully, they must generate optimum yields over their entire service life. Researchers at HI ERN have now developed a new approach that makes it possible to detect and quantify insufficient power independently of weather data.

ERC Consolidator Grant for Dr. Ian Marius Peters

Physicist at HI ERN receives prestigious award of the European Research Council and 2 million euros in funding to develop recycling concepts for solar modules.

"Synergy" - art from a lofty height

Two sculptures by Cologne-based artist Philipp Dreber have recently gone on display at HI ERN's headquarters in Erlangen. The measure is sponsored by the Free State of Bavaria as part of "Kunst am Bau".

Digital twin for efficient CO2 electrolysis for the production of sustainable fuels and raw materials

Hydrocarbons produced by means of CO2 electrolysis form an alternative, defossilized basis towards a sustainable carbon cycle. Researchers at HI ERN have succeeded in taking an important step towards overcoming the major technical challenges that still exist: For the first time, they were able to reproduce the gas diffusion electrode (GDE) at the heart of the electrolyzer as a digital twin - a virtual counterpart of the electrode.

Awarded: 1st place in poster competition for HI ERN photovoltaics researcher

HI ERN scientist Dr. Claudia Buerhop-Lutz won 1st place for her poster presentation. She received the award at the 39th PV Symposium in Bad Staffelstein.

Fast and flexible solar energy from the printer

Lighter, more flexible and adaptable – the innovation platform Solar TAP develops innovative solutions for photovoltaic applications. The aim is to make surfaces already used in agriculture, the building sector and transport additionally usable for the expansion of solar energy with printed solar cells.

Interview: Solar cells from the printer for flexible solar energy

With innovative printable solar panels, researchers from the Helmholtz Association want to make areas already in use additionally usable for photovoltaics (PV). The recently launched Solar TAP platform aims to make the new technologies quickly and easily accessible to industry, society and consumers. In this interview, the coordinating researchers explain how far along various printable PV technologies are and what potential multiple benefits for PV they have in mind.

Catalyst concepts for the global energy transition: Helmholtz Association funds newly established Young Investigators Group

A total of ten excellent young scientists have been selected by the Helmholtz Association to establish their own research groups on their topics. Over a period of five years, the Young Investigator Groups will receive a total of at least 1.5 million euros in funding for this purpose. At the HI ERN Prof. Marc Ledendecker will establish the Helmholtz Young Investigators Group "Design of New Catalysts".

Good connection: Universitätsbund Erlangen-Nürnberg visited HI ERN

Sustainable energy technologies in focus: Around 100 participants of the Universitätsbund Erlangen-Nürnberg e.V. took the opportunity to gain a direct insight into the research work of HI ERN, which is important for the global energy transition.

Top Ten: "Dynamics of Backsheet-driven Insulation Issues" paper awarded at SiliconPV conference

Out of a total of 145 submitted contributions, the paper was awarded as one of the ten best at this year's SiliconPV conference. In their paper, the authors analyze the degradation of backsheet films of photovoltaic modules. The researchers' findings make it clear that there are measurable characteristics for early detection of the onset of degradation. Investors and operators of solar plants can use these for their planning and risk assessments in order to counteract impending total failures in advance.

HGF Innovation Pool Project "Solar Hydrogen - Highly Pure and Compressed"

The project aims to provide essential scientific knowledge and viable technologies for the conversion of solar energy into hydrogen with the highest possible value for a sustainable energy system. Researchers from the participating Helmholtz centers met for this purpose at HI ERN to share their latest results.

Strong partners for emission-free mobility: Siemens Mobility hands over fuel cell to Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nuremberg for research purposes

An innovative research project to decarbonize rail transport is receiving support from industry: Albrecht Neumann, CEO Rolling Stock, handed over a fuel cell for research purposes to the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (HI ERN) on behalf of Siemens Mobility.

Mastering the recycling flood

In the coming years, many photovoltaic systems and wind turbines around the world will be thrown away due to their age. But the raw materials they contain are far too valuable for that. They could also be fed into the circular economy. In the current issue of "effzett", HI ERN researcher Dr. Ian Marius Peters and other scientists at Forschungszentrum Jülich explain the creative approaches they are taking.

Designing organic electronics sustainably

Organic electronics can make a decisive contribution to decarbonization and at the same time help save rare and valuable raw materials. To achieve this, it is necessary not only to further develop manufacturing processes, but also to plan technical solutions for recycling already in the laboratory. Materials scientists at the HI ERN and FAU, together with British and US American research colleagues, are promoting this recycling strategy in the renowned journal "Nature Materials".

CareerDay 2023 - Impulses for own career path

The first HI ERN CareerDay offered the institute's doctoral students a concrete look into their own future. The young scientists benefited from inspiring conversations with people who have successfully made their way in the academic world, founded start-ups or made a career in industry. The participants made intensive use of the opportunity to exchange ideas in lectures and personal discussions and to take away valuable impulses for their own career paths.

10 years HI ERN: 10 years of research for a climate-neutral industrial society

HI ERN celebrated its tenth anniversary today, 12 July, together with numerous companions and cooperation partners. At the Institute's headquarters in Erlangen, guests from science, industry and politics celebrated achievements to date and discussed the Institute's current scientific work.

Bavarian Energy Days: "From laboratory to industrial application - LOHC as a pioneer of the green hydrogen economy"

Experiencing a complete hydrogen supply chain in real use and exchanging ideas with researchers about the latest research approaches - that's what visitors were able to do at the information booth at the hydrogen filling station in Erlangen in midsummer temperatures. The event took place as part of the Bavarian Energy Days, initiated by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy.

Best Talk award for HI ERN researcher at Microscience Microscopy Congress 2023

PhD student Andreas Körner convinced the jury with his poster presentation and accompanying talk "What radiation does to water: the case of acidity under electron and X-ray exposure". The target of his talk was to raise awareness for the impact ionizing irradiation such as X-rays (spectroscopy) and electrons (electron microscopy) has when investigating liquid samples.

Future made in Bavaria: Members of the Bundestag Katrin Staffler and Stefan Müller visit HI ERN

How can renewable energies be made climate-neutral, sustainable and cost-effective? The two members of the German Bundestag Stefan Müller and Katrin Staffler learned about this during their visit to HI ERN. The visit took place as part of the "Future made in Bavaria" series of visits by the two politicians.

From research to application: 1. Solar TAP Industry Day

Full rows and intensive exchange at the "1st Solar TAP Industry Day" in Nuremberg: More than 60 participants from industry and science came to learn more about the participating infrastructures. Information about the innovation platform and the kick-off workshop for roadmapping were as much a focus as networking among each other. The innovation platform aims to accelerate the transfer of technology from the laboratory to industry in the field of multi-benefit photovoltaics.

Interview: Dr. Claudia Buerhop-Lutz on the potential of data for the lifespan and yield of solar systems

In the interview with Projektträger Jülich, photovoltaics researcher Dr. Claudia Buerhop-Lutz explains why collecting and evaluating large amounts of data from photovoltaic plants plays a central role in the project dig4morE. She also reports on how artificial intelligence (AI) supports her work to identify deficits in solar parks at an early stage.

Award: HI ERN doctoral student receives Best Poster prize

Miklós Márton Kovács received the award for his poster titled "Electrospun Nanofiber Catalyst Materials for Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) in Acidic Water Electrolysis"at the 74th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE) in Lyon, France, in September 2023. He has been working on his doctorate at HI ERN since October 2021.

Awarded: First prize at image competition for HI ERN scientist Dr. Qingguang Xie

Dr. Qingguang Xie won the first prize of the image competition at the 9th International Conference on Discrete Element Methods (DEM9). The Conference took place in Erlangen from September 17 to September 21 and is the leading conference in the field of Discrete Element Simulations.

ImageCompetition_DEM9_Xie.png