The joint research effort was announced in Berlin, Germany by representatives of both organizations. “Today two outstanding organisations have agreed to join forces and drive progress in the fields of photovoltaic and solar thermal energy research,” said Jürgen Mlynek, President of the Helmholtz Association.Background: While solar energy is plentiful, converting it into electric power economically requires more efficient and cheaper photovoltaic cells and solar thermal energy modules. In order to achieve this goal, researchers are pursuing new approaches with nano-structured materials and innovative module architecture.
“This agreement promises to advance the potential of the materials and technology that will form the basis of solar cells and solar fuels in the future,” said Dan Arvizu, NREL's Director and Chief Executive.
Participating institutions on the German side are the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the Research Center Jülich and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Material und Energie.
Teams at HZB and in Jülich focus on new thin-layer materials for solar cells. Researchers at the DLR are perfecting modules for the thermal utilization of solar energy, which are already being applied commercially in large solar thermal power plants. Specialists at DLR are also developing new kinds of thermal storage systems that can retain heat accumulated in the daytime for use at night, allowing electricity to be generated around the clock.
NREL, in Golden, Colorado, began operations in 1977 and is the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) primary laboratory for energy efficiency and renewable energy research and development. The Helmholtz Association, with headquarters in Berlin, Germany comprises 31,000 employees in 17 research centers and an annual budget of approximately €3.3 billion.
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