ISE Fraunhofer

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany is the largest solar research institute in Europe. With a staff of about 1400, we are committed to promoting a sustainable, economic, secure and socially just energy supply system based on renewable energy sources. We contribute to this through our main research areas of energy provision, energy distribution, energy storage and energy utilization. Through outstanding research results, successful industrial projects, spin-off companies and global collaborations, we are shaping the sustainable transformation of the energy system.

The energy transition and a sustainable transformation of the mobility sector can only succeed with the help of safe, reliable and powerful battery storage systems. The demand for corresponding technologies for electrical energy storage will therefore increase exponentially The requirements for battery management systems defined as part of the battery passport – for example with regard to transparency in terms of condition and remaining service life – are also driving this development forward.

At our Center for Electrical Energy Storage, we are researching the next generation of lithium-ion batteries as well as promising alternatives such as zinc-ion or sodium-ion technologies. We are looking at the entire value chain – from materials and cells to battery system technology and a wide range of storage applications. In our laboratory infrastructure in Freiburg’s “Haidhaus”, we offer extensive scientific  and safety  test at cell and system level and also develop new procedures for  ageing and safety test, modelling and validation.

We are excited to contribute our extensive knowledge of the entire value chain of battery technology, from cells to systems, in the EPISODE project.

In the EPISODE project, we will delve into the safety aspects of sodium-ion batteries and conduct destructive tests to investigate combustion gases. Our hybrid testing strategy, which combines scientific research with established standard procedures, will also serve as valuable input for the revision of norms and standards.

Our findings will play a crucial role in the development of cell materials and manufacturing processes. We will enhance our investigative methods and thoroughly study and model the aging of the cells. This foundational work will pave the way for the creation of an optimized battery management system for sodium-ion batteries, utilizing cutting-edge communication protocols such as MQTT.