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...

As part of the "GW Wakes" joint project, the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg is carrying out research into wind currents in very large offshore wind farms with 100 or more turbines, in order to improve the calculability of wind power generation at sea. The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety is funding the project to the tune of around 3.8 million euros over three years.  more...

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...

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...

The political conditions for a change in energy policy (from fossil fuels and nuclear energy to renewable energy sources) have never been better. However, a successful change in energy supply can only take place with the support of private households who change to green electricity and homeowners who invest in renewable energy technology. How can potential users (and especially women) be persuaded to change? The interdisciplinary research project "Renewable energy sources and green electricity - communication according to specific target groups" intended to find the answer to this question.  more...

In its 2010 Annual Report, the German Federal Ministry of the Environment has presented its focal areas for funding research in the field of renewable energies. Topics include wind energy, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar thermal power plants, geothermal energy, the optimisation of energy supply systems, ocean power, interrelated issues and international collaboration.  more...

Germany's first offshore wind farm, "Alpha Ventus", officially commenced operation just over a year ago. The operators now have the preliminary results. The twelve wind turbines produced more than 190 million kilowatt-hours in the last nine months. Mathematically speaking, that is enough electricity to supply 42,000 four-person households - when each uses 4,500 kWh/year - with electricity for one year.  more...

In future, superconductors will allow extremely efficient, compact and light-weight wind energy generators to be built, with the same performance as corresponding permanent magnet machines but which are only half their size. At the same time they can decrease the use of rare earths significantly for the expansion of wind energy. The "Life Needs Power" energy forum at the Hanover Trade Fair discussed how the pending scarcity of these raw materials could slow the expansion of wind energy. In his presentation, Dr. Michael Bäcker (Zenergy Power GmbH) explained the solutions second-generation superconductors offer.  more...