Saturday, May 11, 2019

Energy Storage Faculty Consortium Project - Germany Day 8 Fraunhofer ISE & Technical City Hall



After lunch at the Badenova cafeteria comprised of giant portions of lasagna or spaghetti, we visited the battery performance testing laboratory of the Fraunhofer Institute. At the request of manufacturers or on their own initiative, the testing lab conducts rigorous testing of many types of batteries, inverters and battery systems to evaluate their efficiency, quality and durability.

Finally, we concluded our day with a visit to the new town hall of Freiburg. Prior to the completion of this building last year, Freiburg’s services were scattered among 16 different buildings. This building was designed to be a net producer of energy on an annual basis. The heating, cooling and lighting systems are not only highly efficient but also linked together in a highly sophisticated and intelligent building automation system. Further, the building employs geothermal, solar thermal, and photovoltaic systems to produce energy. Photovoltaic modules located vertically around much of the exterior of the building are an eye-catching element of the design.