You are here.

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

The Institute

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE conducts research on the technologies required to supply energy efficiently and on an environmentally sound basis in industrialized, threshold and developing countries. To this purpose, the Institute develops systems, components, materials and processes for the following business areas: energy efficient buildings, applied optics and functional surfaces, silicon photovoltaics, alternative photovoltaic technologies, renewable power supply and hydrogen technology.

The external laboratories and outposts of Fraunhofer ISE, whose focus is on the development of materials for solar cells or semiconductors, are the Laboratory and Service Center LSC in Gelsenkirchen and the Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP in Halle on the Saale. CSP is operated in cooperation with Fraunhofer IWM Freiburg and Halle. Since 2006, the Photovoltaic Group at the Physics Department of the University of Constance is jointly operated by Fraunhofer ISE and the University of Constance.

The work at Fraunhofer ISE ranges from fundamental scientific research relating to solar energy applications, through the development of production technology and prototypes, to the construction of demonstration systems. The Institute plans, advises and provides know-how and technical facilities as services.

Solar Desalination

In arid and semi-arid regions the lack of drinkable water often corresponds with a high solar insolation. This favours the use of solar energy as the driving force for water treatment systems. We focus on photovoltaic (PV) driven reverse osmosis and filtration systems and thermally driven desalination systems. We develop autonomous desalination systems which are driven by 100% solar energy. Regarding the thermally driven desalination systems the energy for the desalination process is supplied by solar thermal collectors and the energy for the auxiliary equipment such as the pumps and valves is supplied by photovoltaics (PV). The focus of the development is put on very low technical complexity and a long maintenance-free operation time.

Since March 2001, Fraunhofer ISE is certified according to DIN EN ISO
9001:2000.

Permanent staff:                        230
Additional students, incl.
diploma and doctoral students,
other staff:                                380
Budget (including investments):   44.5 million euro (2007)