Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems

Fraunhofer ISE was founded in 1981 by Adolf Goetzberger in Freiburg, Germany. It was the first non-university establishment for applied solar energy research in Europe. The first areas of focus were the fluorescent collector FLUKO, transparent insulation and the initial steps towards high efficiency silicon and III-V solar cells, silicon thin film solar cells and material research. Already in 1983, the first fully electronic so-called "ISE inverter" was developed for use in autonomous photovoltaic systems. In 1986, the first serial product using fluorescent collectors as a power supply was produced. Within the PV small device program, numerous other successful products were developed. When the clean room was put into operation in 1989, the production of high efficiency solar cells began. In 1998, selective solar absorber coatings, which were developed at Fraunhofer ISE for solar thermal collectors, were put into industrial-scale production. In 2011 Fraunhofer ISE celebrated its 30th anniversary. Since its founding, the scientists have received many prestigious prizes and awards for their research results in the field. ==Research and development==

The solar energy research at Fraunhofer ISE establishes the technical prerequisites for an efficient and environmentally friendly energy supply for industrial as well as threshold and developing countries. The institute is committed to moving away from fossil fuels and nuclear power and moving towards a 100% renewable energy supply with the aim of providing affordable solutions for the energy transformation. To this purpose, the institute develops materials, components, systems and processes for basic research and beyond. The areas of expertise include the development of production techniques and prototypes, setting up and monitoring demonstration systems and operating indoor and outdoor testing and calibration centers. ==Service units==

Presently the following certified test labs provide testing and calibration services at the laboratories: • TestLab Solar Thermal Systems • TestLab Solar Facades • TestLab PV Modules • CalLab PV Cells • CalLab PV Modules Other service establishments at the laboratories are: • Quality Assurance of PV Power Plants • Photovoltaic Power Electronics • Inverter Laboratory • Battery Testing Laboratory • Lighting Laboratory • Laboratory for Vapour Compression Heat Pumps • Phase Change Materials (PCM) Laboratory • Testing Laboratory for Adsorption Materials and Porous Materials • TestLab Fuel Cells ==Cooperation==

The Institute is one of the founding members and the Member-in-Charge of the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance, comprising sixteen Fraunhofer institutes with expertise in energy technology and energy research. The Institute is a member of the ForschungsVerbund Erneuerbare Energien (FVEE) and the European Renewable Energy Research Centres Agency (EUREC), as well as other alliances. The Institute maintains a close cooperation with the Material Research Center of the University of Freiburg, which assists the Institute with fundamental research. Th institute director holds a faculty position at that University as professor of physics and applied sciences. ==Spin-offs==

To date, seven spin-off companies have been founded from the applied research results at Fraunhofer ISE. Among them are the following: • In 1999, PSE AG was founded to provide services and expertise on solar energy. In addition to compiling studies and reports, the company provides measurement and control technology and custom-made laboratory equipment. • In 2001, Holotools GmbH (now temicon GmbH - holotools) was founded to develop and manufacture functional surfaces for the management of light. One particular expertise, for example, is the production of large-area homogeneous microstructures for optical surfaces. • In 2002, SorTech AG (renamed Fahrenheit AG as of March 2017) was spun off to exploit heat sources for producing cold, thus using low temperature heat as an energy source instead of electricity. As a result, Fahrenheit advanced the underlying technology, adsorption cooling, and produces chillers which use residual heat from a variety of sources to economically generate cold. • Soitec Solar, founded in 2005, brought an innovative photovoltaic technology using concentrated sunlight to the market. With this technology, photovoltaic power stations from 100 kW up to several megawatts are further developed, manufactured, and installed. • In 2014, Enit Energy IT Systems GmbH was spun off to develop and market energy management systems for medium-sized enterprises. These systems help customers gain more transparency about their electricity, heat and gas consumption. In addition, the company's products enable intelligent system control and more efficient operation. ==Staff, infrastructure and financing==

The laboratory has a staff of 1139, of whom 439 hold permanent positions. (as of 04/2012). The research institute has a net floor area of 21,000 m² which contains offices, laboratories and test fields. New labs and office space are presently under construction. The 2011 operational budget totaled €61.3 million. Just five percent of the operational budget was basic funding, 90% from German federal funds and 10% from German state funds. About 50% was from contract research with industry; the remainder stemmed from public and other sources. In 2011, annual investments amounted to €7.7 million. (as of 04/2012) ==References==