News and Press Information

Here we want to give an overview of news and publications about the KIT Energy Center and further topics in energy research.

News about the KIT Energy Center

News about the KIT Energy Center
Conference "Mein Beitrag zur Energiewende" On March 1 and 2, 2024, the Akademie für Politische Bildung and the Bayerische EliteAkademie hosted the conference „Mein Beitrag zur Energiewende“ in Tutzing, Bavaria. Through various workshops, the event offered its participants insight into different approaches to actively contribute to the energy revolution. One of the highlights was the half-day workshop about photovoltaic cells led by Holger Röhm, research associate at the KIT Institute of Lighting Engineering and Energy Ambassador of the KIT Energy Centre. With remarkable dedication, the workshop participants created functioning dye-sensitized solar cells from natural materials like beetroot, blackberries, grapes and hibiscus. We want to thank Holger Röhm for his commitment to transferring scientific know-how to society! more information
Workshop "Power-to-Molecules" On February 28th and 29th, 2024, we had the honor of welcoming numerous distinguished visitors from science and industry to the 'Power-to-Molecules' workshop at KIT. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) organized this workshop together with the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). Our goal was to bring together diverse expertise across the technological value chain to evaluate the Power-to-X field, baseline existing technologies, assess the impact of emerging disruptive technologies on the future deployment of Power-to-X technologies, determine research and development priorities and ultimately provide a vision for the future role of Power-to-X in our pursuit of net-zero emissions. Particular attention was paid to identifying the integration and scale-up activities needed to accelerate deployment and adoption of Power-to-X technologies at a scale that will make a global impact on the energy system. A key outcome from the workshop will be a peer-reviewed journal article describing these research priorities and our vision for the future. We are still thrilled by the positive atmosphere and high level of dedication demonstrated by the participants during the event. They not only actively participated but also initiated concrete steps for the further development of the ideas discussed and for a continued cooperation. We are convinced that this workshop has laid the foundation for fruitful cooperation between KIT and NREL in the field of Power-to-X. In this spirit, we look forward to continuing our partnership to advance this important topic together. Our sincere thanks goes to all the speakers and participants who contributed to the success of this workshop. Special thanks also goes to the organizing team and the support provided by Peter F. Green, Deputy Laboratory Director and Chief Research Officer at NREL, and Oliver Kraft, Vice President Research at KIT, without whom this event would not have been possible!
Research Bridges Between KIT and Taiwan On February 16, Prof. Thomas Hirth, Vice President for Transfer and International Affairs, welcomed a high-ranking delegation from Academia Sinica in Taipei, Taiwan, to KIT Campus North. The group was led by its president Prof. James C. Liao. The visit focused on pyrolysis research at KIT, including a tour of the liquid metal laboratory KALLA and the hydrogen test center HYKA. This technical exchange was largely organized by the Institute of Technical Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP) and the Institute of Thermal Energy Technology and Safety (ITES). The dialog with Academia Sinica revealed numerous parallels in the challenges of energy system transformation in both countries. These findings form a promising basis for increased future cooperation.
Siemens Energy CEO visits KIT On January 29, Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth, Vice President of KIT, had the pleasure of welcoming Dr.-Ing. Christian Bruch, CEO of the multinational DAX company Siemens Energy, at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), KIT Campus North. He was accompanied by a high-profile delegation of prominent executives, including Vinod Philip, Member of the Executive Board, and Prof. Dr. Iliana Portugues, Vice President Innovation Center Berlin. As part of a lecture and tour program, representatives of Siemens Energy gained deep insights into the diverse research activities and modern experimental facilities of energy research at KIT. Special attention was given to the Energy Lab and the Hydrogen Test Center HyKA during this visit. This also provided an opportunity for personal exchanges with some of our leading researchers. A particular focus of the visit was on discussing future cooperation opportunities between KIT and Siemens Energy. Additional steps were agreed upon at the board level. This encounter marks a further step in strengthening the collaboration between one of Germany's leading technical education and research institutions and a globally operating energy company.
Kyoto Fusioneering Partners with KIT to Accelerate the Development of Fusion Energy Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd. (KF) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have entered into a strategic partnership through a Cooperation Agreement to advance research and development in fusion power plant technologies. KF, a global pioneer in fusion solutions, collaborates with KIT, a leading German research institution in fusion, to accelerate the realization of commercially viable fusion energy solutions. KIT is a global leader in fusion research, boasting extensive expertise across many fusion technology fields, including neutron-resistant materials, liquid metals for heat transfer, tritium breeding blankets, fusion fuel cycle and tritium handling. KF makes an ideal private partner in fusion acceleration for its expertise in plant engineering and an accelerated timeline for deploying commercial fusion plant technology. This strategic partnership lays the ground for joint efforts in key fusion plant engineering domains. The initial focus will be on fuel cycle technology, specifically tritium handling, aiming to rapidly advance essential fusion plant engineering technologies. Looking ahead, the partnership aims to extend into high-priority and challenging domains crucial for the societal implementation of fusion energy across various fusion fields. Satoshi Konishi, Co-founder, CEO, and Chief Fusioneer of Kyoto Fusioneering, a veteran with over 40 years of expertise in fusion R&D, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "The collaboration with KIT, a global academic powerhouse in fusion research, and our private enterprise, KF, is an honor and a source of excitement. Achieving socially implementable fusion energy requires collaboration transcending government, private industry, and academia. Our partnership embodies a global trend, poised to be a historic milestone, significantly expediting the societal implementation of fusion energy." Dr. Klaus Hesch, Head of KIT Fusion Programme, added, “KF is an ideal private fusion company to partner with because of its expertise in plant engineering and its accelerated timeline for deployment of commercial fusion plant technology.” more information
Condolences for Prof. Dr.-Ing. Robert Stieglitz The KIT Energy Center says goodbye to Professor Dr.-Ing. Robert Stieglitz, who died suddenly and unexpectedly on December 6th, 2023 at the age of 58. Robert Stieglitz was appointed Head of the Institute for Neutron Physics and Reactor Technology in 2009 and was an active and highly valued member of the steering committee of the KIT Energy Center for many years. Our condolences go out to his family and loved ones. We will always honor our colleague's memory. You have the opportunity to share your memories and condolences of Professor Robert Stieglitz using the link below. Please use the comment function. more information
Energiegespräch mit Dr. Walter Tromm Der wissenschaftliche Sprecher des KIT-Zentrums Energie, Dr. Thomas Walter Tromm, unterhielt sich mit Prof. Eduard Heindl in der Reihe "Energiegespräch" über Kernenergie, Reaktortypen, Fusion und Solarenergie. Hier finden Sie das komplette Interview zum Anhören und Anschauen. more information
Erna-Scheffler-Förderpreis für Dr. Martha Frysztacki Wir gratulieren Frau Dr. Martha Frysztacki zur Auszeichnung mit dem Erna-Scheffler-Förderpreis 2023 für ihre Doktorarbeit. Diese alle zwei Jahre vergebene Auszeichnung wird an Nachwuchswissenschaftlerinnen des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie (KIT) verliehen, die im Rahmen ihrer wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten herausragende Leistungen erbracht haben. Die Preisverleihung fand am 20. Oktober 2023 im Bundesverfassungsgericht statt. Den diesjährigen Dissertationspreis erhielt Dr. Martha Fryzstacki für ihre am Institut für angewandte Informatik (IAI) des KIT verfasste Arbeit „The Role of Spatial Scale in Electricity System Optimisations“ (Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Veit Hagenmeyer). more information
Low-cost photoreactors for highly photon/energy-efficient solar-driven synthesis Find an exciting new paper in Joule on the design of highly efficient low-cost photoreactors resulting from recent work at IMVT. Full Article in Joule CellPress
What is EERA JP ES about? Myriam E. Gil Bardají (KIT), Coordinator of EERA JP-ES Energy Storage, gives you a brief overview of what is EERA's Joint Programme on Energy Storage all about. If you're interested in learning more about energy storage and its role in shaping the future energy system in Europe, check out also the website: EERA Joint Programme Energy Storage weitere Informationen
Ministerpräsident Kretschmann besucht das KIT-Zentrum Energie auf der Hannover Messe 2023 Das KIT-Zentrum Energie präsentiert sich auf der Hannover Messe 2023 am Stand Energy Solutions (Halle 13, Stand C70) mit • dem Experimentierfeld für Energiesysteme der Zukunft - Energy Lab 2.0 • den Power-to-X Verfahren für E-Fuels und Methanisierung • der Forschungsinfrastruktur DeepStor zur Wärmespeicherung in ausgeförderten Kohlenwasserstoffreservoiren. Ministerpräsident Kretschmann honoriert die Kompetenz und die Lösungen, die das KIT-Zentrum Energie anbietet. Er informiert sich intensiv über die Power-to-X Verfahren. weitere Informationen
Herr Dr. Emil Kraft hat den EEX Group Excellence Award erhalten. Das KIT-Zentrum Energie freut sich, bekannt zu geben, dass Herr Dr. Emil Kraft vom Institut für Industriebetriebslehre und Industrielle Produktion (IIP) am KIT den EEX Group Excellence Award erhalten hat. Sein prämiertes Paper "Stochastic optimization of trading strategies in sequential electricity markets" wurde im European Journal of Operational Research veröffentlicht.