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  • Today, the service life of inverters in photovoltaic systems is far shorter than that of the modules. As part of the PV4Life research project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE is now working with partners to develop models that map the individual ageing of power converters. This can be used to derive customized, AI-supported operating strategies that promise a longer service life without compromising the performance of the devices.

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  • pandapower is an easy-to-use tool for modelling, analyzing and optimizing power grids with a high degree of automation. It was developed at both the University of Kassel and the Fraunhofer IEE in Kassel. Thanks to its international use and integration into various processes, the software has already achieved 500,000 (partly automated) downloads since its release in 2016. Whether in Germany, Europe, the USA, China or many other countries around the world - pandapower is used by researchers and experts in companies alike and has established itself as one of the leading solutions in the energy sector.

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  • © Kostiantyn | stock.adobe.com

    Research at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft would be inconceivable without its employees, including those with migration backgrounds - they are the foundation of our scientific system. Internationality, diversity, and respect are integral components of the Fraunhofer mission statement and the Fraunhofer Code of Conduct.

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  • Together with its partners, Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE is paving the way for the establishment of large-scale production of green hydrogen and its downstream products in Chile. The project’s research focuses on the production potential of hydrogen and liquid fuels from solar energy. In addition to technical issues, researchers are investigating the economic, logistical, and socio-economic aspects of scaling up, through which they will also support the installation of a pilot plant.

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  • Digital technologies are expected to improve the efficiency and system integration of additional renewable sources, as well as making the entire energy system reliable, smarter, and more efficient. Future digital applications may allow district energy systems to fully optimize the operation of their plant and network assets while realizing immediate and feasible decarbonization of urban heat supply: With data to optimize district heating systems and new business opportunities.

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  • Nahaufnahme einer Photovoltaik Anlage
    © Danny Schöning - stock.adobe.com

    Within the Research Project “PV-MoVe”, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technologies IEE investigated how to use active switching loss reduction networks for power semi-conductors to enable smaller, more lightweight, and more cost-efficient photovoltaic converters. Using newly developed additional circuitry, switching frequencies for a 50 kW PV inverter could be increased by a factor of 2.5 – 3 for the DC input stage and by a factor of 10 – 12.5 for the inverter output stage. The project was worked on in cooperation with project partners Infineon Technologies AG and SUMIDA Components & Modules GmbH from 2019 to 2023, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action BMWK.

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  • The electrification of agricultural and construction machinery currently powered by combustion engines is an essential contribution to reducing emissions. The progressive expansion of renewable energy sources means that climate-damaging emissions can be completely avoided in the future. The aim of the MUSiCel research project is therefore to research and test innovative components and methods for an efficient, locally emission-free energy supply for agricultural and construction machinery. At the heart of the supply system is a mobile and compact high-performance DC-DC converter that is integrated into the vehicle.

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  • Kickoff Projekt UrbanGroundHeat
    © Fraunhofer IEE

    It is warm underground. Accessing this energy source on a large scale to heat houses and apartments is the task of the new UrbanGroundHeat research project. Geothermal energy is CO2-free and can be easily tapped in many places in Germany, but has not yet been widely developed for legal and economic reasons. As a result of the energy crisis, conditions have changed. A cooperation of research and industry under the leadership of the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE now intends to facilitate the use of geothermal energy for municipal utilities, cities and communities.

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  • windraeder mit graphen im hintergrund
    © xyz+ – stock.adobe.com

    It is possible to achieve maximum returns in the direct marketing of wind power if plant control systems consider not only fluctuating electricity prices but also ever-changing production costs (i.e., wear and tear of plant technology). As part of the “KORVA” research project, the Fraunhofer IEE and its partners have now developed the very first model for helping system operators to incorporate such considerations into their control strategies. This software tool enables them to control the plants so that they strike the optimum balance between revenue and costs. Machine learning (ML) methods are also used for this purpose.

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