In Germany, technologies for capturing and storing carbon dioxide have so far failed to gain acceptance. This sixty social scientists and technicians attending the "Acceptance Research on CCS" workshop held at the Wuppertal Institute were in agreement in this respect. One aspect that has not failed, however, is the research on how acceptance develops among the population. Many large-scale technologies ranging from wind farms to high-voltage grids are faced with the need to find acceptance ? not least through participation.  more...

Following personnel changes in PV CYCLE, the industry association for recycling photovoltaic modules (BINE reported), Wilfried Taetow took over its leadership in September 2011. In the BINE interview, the new president explains how the recycling of PV modules can be realised at a time when the industry is under economic pressure and the EU is planning to include discarded PV modules within the scope of its EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.  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...

The Faculty of Supply Engineering at Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences has installed a renewable energy park at its Wolfenbüttel campus. A redox flow battery weighing 5,000 kg has now been added to this energy park. With this system, which is only the second of its kind in Germany, a further storage technology is now available in this "Smart Grid Test Facility".  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...

The first measurement results confirm the efficient building concept for the Science College Overbach, which opened in June 2009: the data from 186 measurement points are continually captured via the building's services technology and enable continual monitoring, analysis and optimisation of the technical systems. In terms of the primary energy, the building is doing very well: it only consumed 83.4 kWh/m² p.a. in the first year. Not only do the figures add up, the students are also thrilled by their new school. Whereas 15% of the students used to opt for technology and 85% for the three foreign languages on offer, 60% of the students are now choosing a scientific subject in order to enable them to attend lessons in the attractive new building.  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...

There are many good reasons for using geothermal power. For example, it is available around the clock, 365 days a year, has great potential in many German regions and can be used for supplying both heat and electricity. With this in mind, the German government intends to increase the contribution of geothermal energy in domestic energy production in Germany in the future. The new 6th Energy Research Programme from the German government details the key research areas for the coming years.  more...

Copper cables only conduct electricity under resistance, meaning the cable heats up and energy is lost. In contrast, superconductors conduct electricity without loss. Their use in cable and generator projects thus increases the efficiency of the electricity supply infrastructure. With this in mind, the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology is promoting the cost-effective production of superconductive band conductors at the manufacturer Zenergy Power with funding of 3.5 million euros.  more...

The meter reader never rings the doorbell anymore. The Smart Meter sends the consumption data to the office by e-mail in real time. This intelligent meter is the starting point for the interactive network. The new standardised devices can do far more than calculate consumption totals. They act as control and information nodes. They allow the latest consumption data to be used to control machinery and electricity generation systems according to the supply of electricity and the grid load. They are essential if variable tariffs are to be used.  more...