Fraunhofer Green Deal Series

News on events in 2022 coming soon. 

During the 5^th Fraunhofer Green Deal Webinar, our researchers presented their contribution to the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy. Drawing on the Fraunhofer projects COGNAC and FutureProteins, our experts presented their research in the areas of smart farming, contained agriculture as well as smart processing and sustainable products.

We were delighted to welcome Norbert Lins as our patron of this webinar, who elaborated on the political perspective and the relevance of research and innovation for the Farm to Fork strategy.

Have a look at the impulse paper and presentation to find out about innovative and coordinated solutions, and marketable products that will enable a highly efficient, climate-neutral, and resilient food system. 

The involved Institutes

Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE

Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME

Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV

Renewable offshore energy is of utmost importance for Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent until 2050. To this end, the EU-Commission published the EU strategy on offshore renewable energy to harness the full potential of the ocean without emitting greenhouse gases.

Further research, technological development, and investment efforts are crucial to realize the ambitious goals for offshore wind energy and enable its reliable grid integration.

Fraunhofer experts presented their contributions in the form of practical knowledge and innovative solutions during our 4^th Green Deal Webinar.

Learn more about the needs and potential of research and innovation in the field of wind energy and energy system technology, upscaling and grid integration in our impulse paper and the presentation. 

The involved Institutes:

Website of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES

Website of the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE

Photovoltaics (PV) offer great opportunities to accomplish the goals of the European Green Deal but their full potential remains untapped to this day. The time has come for a Photovoltaics Renaissance: Europe is world leading in PV R&D, the cost of solar electricity has decreased significantly, and the number of installations is expected to increase sharply in the coming years. The market conditions offer great opportunities. However, there is a gap in Europe’s PV market due to the lack of production of PV within the EU.

Read about the latest scientific insights into potentials for PV in the EU in our impulse paper and the presentation of the 3rd Fraunhofer Green Deal Webinar.

The involved Institute:

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

Initiative for a 10GWGreen Fab

Just before summer 2020, the European Commission presented its new dedicated strategy on hydrogen – announcing a set of initiates to strengthen research and innovation, to increase the demand for hydrogen and its production as well as upgrading the necessary infrastructure.

With this webinar we sought to bring you up to speed. We shared with you the latest scientific insights about potentials and policy options for hydrogen in the EU. You were able to directly interact with Fraunhofer experts online:

Prof. Christopher Hebling (Fraunhofer-Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE) welcomed and introduced you to hydrogen technologies in Europe and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and Dr. Peter Liese (Member of the European Parliament), as the patron of this webinar, set the scene. After those introductory remarks, the expert presentations by Prof. Mario Ragwitz (Fraunhofer-Institute for Energy Infrastructure and Geothermal energy IEG) on “The hydrogen transformation: Future pathways, sectors and measures for Europe” and Dominik Härle (Fraunhofer-Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS and EU delegate of the Fraunhofer Hydrogen network) on “Next step: Integration of industrial hydrogen applications and large scale demonstration” were given.

Useful links:

Website of the Fraunhofer-Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

Website of the Fraunhofer-Institute for Energy Infrastructure and Geothermal energy IEG

Website of the Fraunhofer-Hydrogen Network

In Germany and Europe, the energy policy discussion is currently strongly shaped by hydrogen as a universal energy source for the energy transition. However, the different sectors require a differentiated view and the question arises to what extent a new assessment of the fields of application must be made if compared to the power-to-gas approach (conversion from electricity to hydrogen to methane) with an overall efficiency of around 60%, whereas hydrogen has an overall efficiency of around 75%.

To find answers to those questions, the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE undertook a study and examined the use of hydrogen in the future energy system with a special focus on building heat supply and related it to the direct use of electric power in heat pumps.

In this Webinar, said study and its findings were presented to you by Jochen Bard (Fraunhofer IEE) and in conversation with Jorgo Chatzimarkakis (Hydrogen Europe) and Patrick Crombez (European Heat Pump Association) linked, amonst others, to the EU Strategy for Energy System Integration and the EU Hydrogen Strategy.

Useful links:

Website of the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE

Study: "Hydrogen in the energy system of the future: Focus on heat in buildings"

Hydrogen Europe 

European Heat Pump Association

EU Hydrogen Strategy / EU Strategy for Energy Integration