A transformation of the energy supply that replaces fossil fuels with renewable energy sources requires new powerful technologies for storing electricity generated by the sun and wind. One promising technology is Carnot batteries, which temporarily store electricity in the form of heat. A new project of the Chair of Technical Thermodynamics and Transport Processes (LTTT) in the Center of Energy Technology (ZET) at the University of Bayreuth is investigating optimal working fluids for these energy systems. As part of the DFG Priority Programme 2403 "Carnot batteries: Inverse design from markets to molecules", it will initially be funded for three years with a total of around 298,000 euros.
Lithium-oxygen batteries, often hailed as the future of rechargeable energy storage, presently face limitations that prevent their widespread adoption. One of these significant constraints is the occurrence of large overpotentials experienced during the charging process. This means that the voltage needed for charging increases substantially implying low efficiency. In a new study published in the journal "Chem", Prof. Dr. Francesco Ciucci of the University of Bayreuth and research partners in China have for the first time been able to identify and explain the causes of these overpotentials.
The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding a new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) at the University of Bayreuth. The interdisciplinary research of nanostructured functional materials is expected to revolutionise the performance of batteries, solar cells, fuel cells and photocatalysts, thereby opening new perspectives for a sustainable energy economy. The starting point for material-based innovations is a holistic view of the transport of electrons, ions, molecules and heat, and their interactions in the materials. The new CRC 1585 "MultiTrans" will receive a total of around 11 million euros from the DFG over the next four years.
The use of industrial waste heat can develop into an important component of an energy industry that is independent of fossil fuels. To convert large amounts of waste heat into electricity as efficiently as possible, turbines with a high degree of efficiency are required that work with a special conversion process – the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). In a pilot project for the development of such a turbine, the Center of Energy Technology (ZET) of the University of Bayreuth is cooperating with TGM Kanis Turbinen GmbH in Nuremberg. The Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy is funding the project for three years with a total of about 1.7 million euros.
Growing electromobility poses new challenges for the infrastructure: Stations for charging batteries must be optimally integrated into the stationary energy network available on site. A comprehensive charging concept for different vehicle types is necessary. The goal of the joint project "eMobiGrid", in which the University of Bayreuth, three medium-sized companies and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft are working closely together, is to develop practical solutions for these challenges and thus accelerate the traffic turnaround. The German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV) is funding the project with a total of around three million euros for three years.
Operational reliability, durability and high energy density: In these respects, solid-state batteries are superior in principle to conventional liquid electrolyte lithium-ion batteries. Some of the problems standing in the way of widespread industrial application – in the field of electromobility, for example – are the poor interface compatibility between cathode and electrolyte and low ionic conductivity at room temperature. An international team led by Prof. Dr. Seema Agarwal at the University of Bayreuth has now developed a solution: a very thin solid electrolyte consisting of a polymer-ceramic composite. The researchers present their discovery in the journal "Advanced Energy Materials".
Increasing the efficiency and reliability of electrolysis plants is the goal of a new international joint project at the Centre for Energy Technology (ZET) at the University of Bayreuth. Together with a German industrial partner and four Canadian partners from industry and academia, novel models as well as hardware and software applications are being developed to reduce costs in the production of green hydrogen. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the project for three years, and the University of Bayreuth will receive a total of about 250,000 euros.
At present, microbial fuel cells are mainly used in research laboratories to generate electricity. In order for industrial applications to be considered in the future, the fuel cells must be further developed so that they can produce consistently higher amounts of electricity than is currently the case. In a recent study published in the journal "Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts", a research team from the University of Bayreuth has investigated factors playing a role in this. The choice of electrode material was shown to be particularly important for increasing stability and performance.
The German Research Foundation (DFG) will fund a research group on printed organic solar cells over the next four years. Scientists from a total of seven universities are participating in this group, which is led by the TU Chemnitz. Prof. Dr. Eva M. Herzig, Junior Professor for Dynamics and Structure Formation at the University of Bayreuth, and her team are investigating the active layers of organic solar cells. Their focus is on how the conversion of sunlight into free charge carriers is influenced by the arrangement of the molecules.
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) see major potential for the expansion of deep geothermal energy in Bavaria. In its Geothermal Energy Master Plan analysis the research group Geothermal-Alliance Bavaria looks at possibilities for providing geologically disadvantaged regions in the State of Bavaria with sustainable district heating using long-distance heat transport. This is the first time that the technical potential of the hydrothermal geothermal energy in southern Bavaria has been analyzed. The study was commissioned by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, which recently published the report.
This website uses cookies and the Matomo web analysis tool. By continuing to browse you agree to our use of cookies. Change your settings here. More information.