Fraunhofer Green Deal Series

What is the Fraunhofer Green Deal Series?

With the launch of the European Green Deal, the Fraunhofer EU Office Brussels started this event series to present the research organization‘s contribution to the Green Deal.

The European Green Deal is the EU’s action plan to address the existential threat of climate change and environmental degradation. It was launched in 2020 as the new growth strategy for Europe’s successful transformation into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy.

Since July 2020, the Fraunhofer EU Office has organized various webinars together with Fraunhofer Institutes and under the patronage of Members of the European Parliament on specific topics that are related to particular actions presented in the Green Deal.

The aim is to:

Highlight Fraunhofer’s scientific work linked to concrete policies to a broad audience
Start discussions in the Brussels bubble on the issue at hand
Connecting Fraunhofer researchers with policy-makers in Brussels.

Join us in our next webinars and be up to date about current challenges, solutions and new technologies and innovations!

Up-coming events

Offshore wind as a cornerstone of the European Green Deal - The potential in upscaling production and utilization

October 12, 2021, 12 - 13 p.m.

Renewable offshore energy is of utmost importance for Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent until 2050.

In November 2020, the EU-Commission published the EU strategy on offshore renewable energy to harness the full potential of the ocean without emitting greenhouse gases. The strategy envisions EU leadership in that sector and sets ambitious targets for growth, regional cooperation, legal frameworks, innovation and investments. The main goal: to reach 60 GW by 2030 and 300 GW by 2050 in European offshore capacity! To make this possible, the EU needs to increase the effort in R&D for offshore wind to mitigate risks and to allow large-scale energy production offshore.

Three experts of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will highlight the needs and potentials in the field of wind energy technology and energy system technology to reach the EU’s ambitious goal. For the political point of view, we are happy to announce the participation of MEP Pernille Weiss, as the patron of this webinar. After the presentations, we are looking forward to discussing with you topics such as the global competition, EU technology leadership, the challenges and opportunities of the sector and its - hopefully - bright future.

We cordially invite you to the 4th webinar of the Fraunhofer Green Deal Series!

Agenda

11:55 a.m. Moderation by Verena Fennemann
Director Fraunhofer EU Office Brussels

12:00 p.m. Welcome and introduction by Prof. Dr. Andreas Reuter
Managing Director Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES

12:10 p.m. Setting the scene by Pernille Weiss
Patron of the webinar, Member of the European Parliament

12:20 p.m. Expert presentation I “Upscaling Offshore Wind to 300 GW” by Nora Denecke
Head of Department Field Tests, Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES

12:30 p.m. Expert presentation II "Grid- and system-side challenges in integrating large amounts of offshore wind energy" by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kurt Rohrig Executive Director Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE

12:45 p.m. Discussion moderated by Verena Fennemann
Director Fraunhofer EU Office Brussels

13:00 p.m. End of the event

Registration closes on October 11, 3 p.m.

Useful links:

Website of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES

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

EU Strategy on offshore renewable energy

Past events

The Photovoltaics Renaissance – New opportunities for a key enabler of the clean energy transition

March 9, 2021

With the Green Deal, Europe embarks on the journey to become the first climate-neutral continent. More than ever, photovoltaics (PV) offer great opportunities to accomplish this goal but their full potential of today remains untapped.

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: There is hardly any production of PV in the EU anymore. Let's bring back the production of PV to Europe and with that jobs, economic growth and strategic autonomy!

We shared with you the latest scientific insights into potentials for PV in the EU:

As introductory remarks, Prof. Andreas Bett (Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE) welcomed and introduced you to PV Production in Europe and Michael Bloss (Member of the European Parliament) set the scene as the patron of this webinar. Thereafter, two expert presentations were given: “PV production: new opportunities for Europe” by Dr. Ralf Preu (Fraunhofer ISE) and “Integrated Photovoltaics: activating surfaces for green electricity” by Dr. Harry Wirth (Fraunhofer ISE).

Useful links:

Website of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

Initiative for a 10GWGreen Fab

Clean Hydrogen – A chance for climate and economy

September 11, 2020

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

Green hydrogen or green electricity for building heating?

July 22, 2020

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