Research field energy

These aims require a comprehensive study of relevant energy chains that takes into account constraints, associated phenomena and the consequences for the climate and environment. Key elements are the consideration of all primary energy forms and broad-based research into innovative technologies for the efficient and effective conversion, storage and use of energy.

Our long-term goal is to replace finite energy sources with sustainable climate-neutral ones. Short and medium-term goals include decreasing energy consumption through the efficient conversion and use of energy, reducing Germany’s and Europe’s dependence on imports, researching new storage technologies, mitigating the impact on the climate and the environment, and meeting special needs through mobile applications.

The energy strategy of the Helmholtz Association has been derived from this overall spectrum. It builds on the existing expertise and wealth of experience at the Helmholtz centres and takes in account the strengths and capabilities of other research and industrial partners. At the same time, the Helmholtz Association has identified research fields in which it must acquire and deepen its expertise.

To meet the energy needs of current and future gener ations, technologies must be developed that provide a foundation for competitive innovations. With this goal in mind, our researchers have been examining the potential offered by renewable sources such as solar, biomass and geothermal energy. They are putting greater efforts into increasing the efficiency of conventional power stations and energy use as a whole. Over the long term, research into power generation through nuclear fusion could lead to the development of an entirely new source of energy. This path is fraught with major scientific and technological challenges, which are being tackled in cooperation with international partners. Finally, with a level of nuclear safety expertise that is unique worldwide, the Helmholtz Associ ation is contributing to the safe operation of nuclear re actors and the safe treatment and disposal of highly radioactive waste.

In addition to these diverse research activities, there have been structural changes at the Helmholtz Association that aim to strengthen energy research. As part of the Excellence Initiative of the German government and the federal states, the Karlsruhe Research Centre has successfully merged with the University of Karlsruhe to form the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Among other things, this merger has led to the establishment of the KIT Energy Centre, which is aspiring to become one of the leading energy research centres in Europe. KIT scored an initial success when the European Institute of Innovation and Technology approved its KIC InnoEnergy funding application in a Europe-wide competition to set up a “Knowledge and Innovation Community” (KIC) in the field of sustainable energy research.

In the JARA-ENERGY section of the Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), the Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University are pooling their complementary expertise in a pioneering international research alliance in order to develop new energy solutions. Finally, in cooperation with industry and the Technische Universität Berlin, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie has founded PVcomB (Competence Centre for Thin-Film Technology and Nanotechnology for Photovoltaics), which has expanded research into solar energy.