Energy Storage

»The use of electrochemical energy storage systems will, in future, be indispensable for providing stability in supply networks and for the decentralised utilisation of electric energy. Our research involves the consideration of different application concepts with a view to the optimisation of storage technologies at the system and material levels.«

Dr Wedigo von Wedel, Head of Division Energy Storage

Electrochemical energy storage systems will be used increasingly in the future for the purpose of making electricity from fluctuating primary sources available for later use – either for consumption at source or for feeding back into the electricity grid. It is against this background that we are optimising storage systems based on lithium ion cells for a wide range of potential applications.

In one key aspect of our research, we are addressing the question of how electricity from renewable energy sources can be used for electromobility. With the same level of interest, we are also investigating the flow of energy in the opposite direction in order to determine how electromobility can be used to improve the coupling of renewable energy into the distribution grid. Electric vehicles could be employed as high-performance sources or stores of electricity for this purpose and could therefore serve as a necessary stabilising factor for the electricity system. We are, furthermore, conducting research into redox flow batteries – an additional storage technology which can be used to provide the large amounts of energy needed to even out the fluctuating output of renewable energies.