Press releases

In order for the sunlight to be optimally utilized by photovoltaic modules, they must be cleaned regularly. Chemical cleaning additives are intended to enhance the cleaning effect. However, these can bring with them a high potential for damage. The Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP has developed a test method to investigate the material compatibility of such cleaning agents and effects on the functionality of modules.

Glass-fiber polyamide tapes for use in innovative and cost-effective lightweight structures for high-volume production have been developed by DOMO Engineering Plastics GmbH and the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS. The high-performance semi-finished products offer a wide range of applications from automotive to aerospace.

Photovoltaic (PV) modules are designed for a service life span of more than 25 years. However, first signs of damage to the electrical insulation can already be observed in many modules after only being in use for 4-8 years. This applies often to modules with polymeric back sheets. The Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP, along with four other research institutes, is working on an improved field-relevant test method for these back sheets. Materials and processes are thereby tested under real operating conditions for an operational service life span of more than 20 years.

In cooperation with seven partners from industry and research, the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP in Halle (Saale) is scaling up climate-neutral photoelectrochemical generators separating hydrogen from water to commercial capacity.

Inverters are the essential key component for feeding the electrical energy generated by solar modules into the power grid. How can failures and malfunctions of these inverters be reduced? The Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS is investigating this question in cooperation with DiSUN Deutsche Solarservice GmbH and DENKweit GmbH as part of the "robStROM" project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Digital printing is increasingly important in industrial production due to its higher cost-effectiveness, flexibility and speed. However, printing on industrial products poses special challenges for the inks used in the process. In the project "Innovative Printing Inks for Industrial Digital Printing” (InDiPrint) the Fraunhofer IMWS in cooperation with Printing Inks Technology GmbH (PIT GmbH) worked on the development and comprehensive evaluation of high-performance printing inks for industrial digital printing.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS along with 79 partners from 14 countries have joined forces in the EU-funded project "iRel 4.0" (Intelligent Reliability 4.0) to find solutions to improve the reliability of electronic components and systems along the entire value chain.

Microplastics are found almost everywhere in nature. A study prepared as part of the mFUND program of the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport states that the most common source of microplastic particles in the environment is the abrasion of car tires. How can the inline measurement of tire abrasion be used to find ways to reduce microparticle emissions? This question is being investigated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems (IMWS) and Rösler Tyre Innovators GmbH & Co. KG together with three other project partners. The KI-RAM project is funded with a total of 1.7 million euros by the German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport as part of the mFUND innovation initiative.

In their joint “VR4PV” project, the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP, the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF, DENKweit GmbH and Dexor Technology GmbH conducted research on how to reduce the operating costs of solar parks and thus generate solar energy more cost-effectively in the future. Using a digital twin, novel measurement methods and machine learning, the research partners succeeded in optimising the operational management of photovoltaic parks.

On the initiative of the European Metropolitan Region of Central Germany, the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP and the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, around 40 stakeholders from the eastern German solar industry and representatives from the States of Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg gathered today in Halle (Saale). The workshop focused on the potential of the solar industry to create value for the region and the possibilities of institutional, cross-state cooperation.