Fraunhofer ISE’s Solar Researchers Win Award

Werner Siemens Foundation Picks German Solar Energy Scientists From Fraunhofer Solar Energy Systems Institute For CHF 1 Million Research Prize

Fraunhofer ISE’s Solar Researchers Win Award

Pictured are Fraunhofer ISE’s award winning team of Prof Dr Andreas Bett (l) and Dr Frank Dimroth (r). (Photo Credit: Fraunhofer ISE)

  • WSS has announced 2 Fraunhofer ISE solar researchers for a research prize to develop highly efficient solar energy systems
  • They are now finalists in the competition for the foundation’s Project of the Century
  • Both winners, Prof Dr Andreas Bett and Dr Frank Dimroth, will now develop detailed concepts for a WSS research center by October 2023-end

German solar R&D institute Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE says its 2 solar researchers, Prof Dr Andreas Bett and Dr Frank Dimroth, have been selected by the Werner Siemens Foundation (WSS) to develop detailed concepts for highly efficient solar energy systems.

Currently Prof Bett is the institute director at Fraunhofer ISE and professor at the Institute for Physics at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg. Dr Dimroth, on the other hand, is the head of department for III-V and Concentrator Photovoltaics at the German institute.

They were selected for their work in the field of highly efficient photovoltaics based on III-V semiconductor compounds. The duo now get to compete against 5 other teams as finalists for WSS competition for Project of the Century.

Fraunhofer ISE’s researchers claim to have already achieved efficiencies of up to 47.6% for III-V multi-junction cells, generating at least 30% more power per sq. mtr. compared to conventionally used crystalline silicon panels, while using 75% less electricity.

Both the winners will now develop detailed concepts for a WSS research center by the end of October 2023 with an aim to make III-V multi-junction solar cells based modules competitive by creating more efficient conversion processes to reduce areas required for solar modules.

Amount of semiconductor used can also be lowered by concentrating sunlight. The researchers, added Fraunhofer ISE, are developing modules where sunlight is concentrated a 1000 times over onto tiny solar cells thus saving material for module construction and up to 75% of the energy that would otherwise be used to produce silicon modules.

Dimroth explained, “We want to systematically develop production technology, minimize technological risks and show how solar hydrogen can be particularly efficient.”

Based out of Switzerland, WSS plans to set up its research center to concentrate on Technologies for the sustainable use of resources. The competition was open to researchers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Each of the 6 teams selected will now be awarded CHF 1 million research prize each. WSS was formed by the family of the founders of today’s Siemens Group.

About The Author

Anu Bhambhani

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Anu is our solar news whirlwind. At TaiyangNews, she covers everything that is of importance in the world of solar power. In the past 9 years that she has been associated with TaiyangNews, she has covered over thousands of stories, and analysis pieces on markets, technology, financials, and more on a daily basis. She also hosts TaiyangNews Conferences and Webinars. Prior to joining TaiyangNews, Anu reported on sustainability, management, and education for leading print dailies in India. [email protected]

Subscribe To Newsletter


Latest Videos

Loading...