Energy Research and Energy Technology

The 5th Energy Research Programme "Innovation and New Energy Technologies" was adopted in 2005 and extended for two years until 31 December 2010. Priority areas of future funding are energy efficiency and the development of low-CO2 energy technologies.

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) is responsible for the programmatic orientation of the energy research policy and the 5th Energy Research Programme.
In addition, there are the following individual departmental responsibilities:The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) is responsible for the project-oriented funding of research and development of "renewable energies", the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMVEL) for supporting research and development in "bioenergy", and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for the institutional funding of the research centres of the Helmholtz Association in the field of "energy" and also for basic and precaution research including the research activities of the networks for "basic research into renewable energies and efficient energy use".

BMWi Energy Research

BMWi is responsible for the programmatic orientation of energy research policy. In addition, BMWi is in charge of project funding in the areas of non-nuclear energy research (without renewable energies), efficient energy conversion, nuclear safety and final disposal as well as for R&D, demonstration and lighthouse projects and market introduction programmes for hydrogen/fuel cells in stationary applications.

Within the framework of the BMWi technology programme "Climate Protection and Energy Efficiency", projects from industry, universities and research institutions can be funded which are regarded as excellent and make significant technological contributions to the remodelling of the energy systems in terms of security of supply, economic viability and environmental compatibility.

The funding policy of BMWi particularly focuses on the strategically important areas of "Modern Power Plant Technologies including CO2 Separation and Storage", "Fuel Cells/Hydrogen", "Energy-Optimised Buildings" and "Energy-Efficient Technology in Industry and Commerce". With "Storing Electric Energy", BMWi initiated a new priority area in 2008.

BMU Energy Research

BMU is responsible for project funding in the area of renewable energies (without bioenergy):

Photovoltaic

Research and development activities primarily aim at reducing production costs and increasing efficiency as well as developing sustainable and cost-efficient concepts. Areas to be funded: silicon wafer technology, thin-film technologies, systems technology, concentrating photovoltaics and overarching issues.

Wind energy

In this context, research and development projects are expected with respect to cost reductions of wind energy generation, technological requirements for the ecologically compatible increased use of offshore wind energy and for the repowering of older plants with improved properties.
Areas to be funded:
reduction of specific costs, increased yields and improvement of the availability of wind energy plants, technologies to increase wind energy at sea, accompanying ecological research and technological measures for ecological optimisation.

Low-temperatur solar thermal power 

Priority areas of the research and development projects, including the implementation of pilot and demonstration plants, are increased efficiency and cost reduction for components, systems technology and manufacturing processes, development and optimisation of technologies for new application areas, development of solar systems as integral parts of building technology and the expansion of technological leadership in the field of collector and storage technology.
Areas to be funded are particularly collector and storage technology as well as systems technology (development of system solutions and concepts).

Geothermie

The aim of funding in the area of deep geothermal energy is to further develop the inexpensive generation and utilisation of heat and electricity from geothermal reservoirs. In this context, the development and testing of corrosion-resistant components .

Solar thermal power plants

Application-oriented research on solar thermal power generation is funded with the aim of supporting the market breakthrough of this technology. In addition to research projects, funding can also include demonstration plants.
Areas to be funded:
solar thermal trough power plants and Fresnel reflector power plants, solar thermal tower power plants, measuring and qualification methods of reflector systems and system components, storage technologies, adaptation of conventional power plant components.

Optimisation of power supply systems

Funding is provided for projects regarding the development and implementation of technical solutions to create innovative energy systems for the future with a high proportion of renewable energies (e.g. load management, storage, electric mobility, virtual power plants, system services, grid connection, further development of system components).

 

 BMELV Energy Research

BMELV is responsible for project funding in the area of bioenergy.

• Provision of fuel
• Utilisation techniques for bioenergy carriers
• Systematic evaluation of ecological questions and execution of accompanying ecological studies
• Cultivation and harvesting of special energy plants
  
  

BMBF Energy Research

BMBF is responsible for the institutional funding of energy research (in particular, HGF) as well as for basic and precaution research. BMBF's responsibility comprises all topics. However, the funded research should be oriented to basic research. Here, networking with other research areas such as materials research, nanotechnology, laser technology, microsystems technology and sustainability is of special importance.
In March 2008, BMBF presented its new "Basic Energy Research 2020+" concept. Research activities which are of significance for highly efficient energy generation, conversion, storage, end-use of energy and low-loss energy transport will be given special priority in this funding concept.

 BMVBS Energy Research

BMVBS coordinates the "National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Programme" (NIP) and is responsible here for demonstration and lighthouse projects regarding hydrogen and fuel cells in mobile applications. The National Organisation for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH) is the contact point for project proposals. Moreover, BMVBS is in charge of project funding in the transport area and in parts of the building and housing field. However, these funding activities are not part of the 5th Energy Research Programme of the Federal Government.
  

Information and dates

Project proposals can be submitted at any time to the responsible project management organisation (info under contacts).