Institute Profile

The Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE in Kassel was established in 2018 from the energy system technology branch of Fraunhofer IWES.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology IWES had two main thematic areas, wind energy (northwest) and energy system technology (Kassel). It was established in 2009 as a merger of the former Fraunhofer Center for Wind Energy and Maritime Engineering CWMT in Bremerhaven and the Institute for Solar Energy Technology ISET founded 1988 in Kassel.

Since its founding in 2009, the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology IWES had grown to almost 600 employees. As part of their strategic development and alignment, both divisions of the institute have developed largely independent profiles. The Executive Board and Senate of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft have therefore decided to continue the branches of the institute as independent institutes as of January 2018. For customers and industry partners, the sharpening of the profile will facilitate a clear allocation of activities.

The Fraunhofer IWES Northwest, headquartered in Bremerhaven, will continue to operate under the abbreviation IWES and the slightly altered institute name Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES. It has established itself as an industry institute for the validation of wind turbine technology, among other things. It has an accredited and certified test infrastructure, its own test field and well-founded methodological expertise concerning test methods.