By 2020, renewable energies are to make up 18 percent of Germanys power supply. By 2050, the figure could be as high as 100 percent, according to the results of a study of the Nachhaltiges Energiesystem 2050 committee of the renewable energies research alliance (ForschungsVerbund Erneuerbare Energien).
Efficient storage technologies play a pivotal role in a sustainable energy supply based on renewable energies. This particularly applies to solar and wind energy where the lack of storage techniques is becoming an increasingly limiting factor. The role that energy storage plays in future energy supplies is the topic of Energy Storage International Summit for the Storage of Renewable Energies in March 2012.
The conference with accompanying technical exhibition celebrating its premiere on 13 and 14 March 2012, will focus on practical feasibility. Representatives from research, industry, politics and energy supply will get together in order to shed some light on commercially viable applications and innovative concepts for energy storage as well as on their potential and affordability. The aim is to outline a roadmap towards commercially viable storage technologies for future-proof energy scenarios.
The internationally renowned scientist Prof. Dr. Eicke R. Weber, spokesman of the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance and Head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, is the Chairman of the Programme Committee. Energy storage is a crucial part of the transformation of energy systems. Inexpensive, durable storage systems are a must. This conference and its accompanying technical exhibition provide the perfect platform for bridging the gap between research and industry, says Prof. Dr. Weber.
The Fraunhofer Energy Alliance is an alliance of 16 Fraunhofer Institutes pooling the core competences in the areas of energy technologies and energy supply systems. In concert with the business community the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance intends to enhance Germanys technology leadership in the efficient use of energy and the development of renewable sources of energy.
After the Energy Storage Advisory Committee had met for the first time in summer this year, the Programme Committee laid down the session themes of the conference in its constituent meeting early September. These are at a glance:
- The overall context of the energy supply industry: The role of storage technologies for future energy supply;
- Stages of development and commercial viability of various technologies such as batteries, thermal, hydrogen storage systems and major storage power plants; and
- Final discussion and development of a roadmap for the further development of commercially viable storage technologies.
Energy Storage Summit for the Storage of Renewable Energies will be organised by Messe Düsseldorf in cooperation with Solarpraxis AG.
Next to Prof. Dr. Weber there are other renowned experts from science and research involved as a multi-disciplinary team in developing the content. Thanks to storage projects realised jointly with the industry this body composed of:
- Dr.-Ing. Kurt Rohrig, Deputy Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES) and Division Director for Energy Economy and Grid Operation
- Prof. Dr. Werner Tillmetz, Board Member and Business Unit Manager for Electrochemical Energy Technologies at the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW)
- Dr. Andreas Hauer, Department Head for Energy System Technology and Renewable Energies at the Centre for Applied Energy Research (ZAE)
- Dr. Dipl. Phys. Christopher Hebling, Director of the Division Energy Technology of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE)
- Prof. Dr. Olav Hohmeyer, expert for energy and resource management at the University of Flensburg
- Dr. Andreas Gutsch, Project Coordinator Competence E, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT)
The conference is accompanied by an exhibition at which research institutes and enterprises present applications-oriented concepts and industry-ready storage solutions. The venue is the Congress Center CCD. South at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre.
