In the future, a large part of Germany's electricity requirement is intended to come from offshore wind farms in order to utilise the favourable wind conditions there. This represents unknown territory in both technical and ecological terms, and is taking place in sensitive biotopes. Three largely remote-controlled research platforms have therefore been constructed in the North and Baltic Seas (FINO). In particular it is being investigated into how the wind actually behaves above the sea and how much electricity can be generated. The data will be incorporated into the planning, design and certification of future farms.  more...

Even in a remote village far from the public electricity grid there is modern everyday life with radios, washing machines and electrical appliances. In energy terms this is a ?standalone? system. The electricity is supplied by a hybrid system that combines various renewable energy sources and an additional diesel generator, and is buffered with a battery system. An information and control network with a new operating system keeps the stand-alone grid (mini-grid) stable.  more...

Rotor blades for wind turbines must be capable of withstanding extreme offshore conditions. Permanent loads, high wind and storms test rotor blades to their limits - and they have to withstand 20 years of turbulence. At the Competence Center Rotor Blades in Bremerhaven, blades up to 90 metres in length are tested mechanically. The globally unique tilt block enables the gigantic blades to be tilted while clamped in place and bent vertically by up to 30 metres. This enables blades to be statically loaded with around 180 tonnes.  more...

With the aim of achieving an optimum indoor environment and lowering operating costs in the long term, the performance of a so-called "operational optimisation with weather forecast control" system has been tested in three administrative buildings in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia since 2007. The operation of the heating systems is optimised based on a thermodynamic computer model and local weather forecast data. The result: A tangible increase in comfort with simultaneous heat energy savings.  more...

Anyone generating electricity or operating high-temperature industrial processes produces waste heat. This waste heat is often not utilised, since its economic use does not seem viable. Small plants using the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) promise help here: they make the waste heat usable in the form of electricity, improve the cost-effectiveness and reduce CO2 emissions. Researchers from Saarland have developed an engine that uses low-temperature heat to generate electricity very efficiently for a large range of uses.  more...

Superconducting fault current limiters can contribute significantly to increasing the safety, availability and reliability of electrical systems in power stations. According to experts, they also have an important role to play in expanding the power grid. In 2009 at the Boxberg power station, a superconducting fault current limiter was used for the first time to protect its own power supply. Soon a next-generation superconductor system with optimized characteristics will be tested at the same site.  more...

While the amount of process heat produced from solar sources is still low, the potential is high. Heating chemical baths, generating solar cooling and using hot air in a drying oven: these are classic examples of process applications. Now a metal finishing plant near Wuppertal has achieved first time worldwide by connecting its own steam network to parabolic trough collectors in which steam is generated directly in the absorber pipe. This simple technology eliminates the need for thermal oil as a heat transfer medium and saves on fossil generated energy.  more...

You reach your final destination for the day, switch off the engine of your motorhome, and sit back to enjoy the view. Cicadas chirping and the music of nature are the only sounds you can hear. And then, far away from the nearest mains outlet, you get your laptop out to check your emails and plan your route for the next day. Quietly, and with low emissions, the electrical power you need is produced by your own on-board fuel cell generator. You know that with the fuel cell, your vehicle battery will always be fully charged. Now that the funded research and testing work has been done, fuel cell hybrid systems are ready for the market.  more...

There are many places in Germany where deep geothermal energy is available as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels as a source of power and heat. When it comes to utilising this energy, drilling is the most expensive part. Power and heat generation is only cost-effective if sufficiently high water temperatures and flow rates are found. Via GeotIS, an online information system, planners can now gain fast access to geological and geophysical data for Germany.  more...

Carbide is an important base material for production of fertilisers, manufacturing raw iron und in other products for the chemical industry. A chemical company from Southern Germany has developed a new process which allows plastic waste to be used to produce carbide. The carbon in the plastics is used in the carbide synthesis. That means that part of the black materials coke and coal used for the production can be replaced by the secondary raw material SCS (=synthetic carbon sources).  more...