We research materials and technologies for the energy transition at KIT in the Helmholtz Association.
Our goal is to provide sustainable technologies for a society in which energy supply and material cycles are linked in a defossilized circular economy. This requires efficient solutions for the conversion, transport, storage and use of energy and energy sources.
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Significant Contributions in the Field of Applied Superconductivity (Sept. 11th 2023) for her contributions to numerous high temperature temperature superconducting first-of-a-kind applications. Congratulations!

KIT researchers see long-term perspective for lithium extraction with geothermal plants
KIT news in German
Fast growth or long-term cooperation – Depending on the biochar fertilizer, plants in symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi react molecularly quite differently. Read the Paper!
KIT news in German
Qualification offers for Baden-Württemberg companies are developed within the framework of QualiBattBW in order to strengthen the location sustainably
KIT news in German
Mr. M.Sc. Julian Dutzi for his master thesis on "Further development of the process of biomass gasification in supercritical water with the focus on increasing the gasification efficiency" endowed with 1,000 €. Congratulations!
KIT Stiftung
KIT researchers optimize battery production by using plasma spectroscopy with the aim to reduce quality variations.

What are the processes & technologies to produce chemicals without fossil sources but with renewable energies? Sharing progress and scientific challenges in our research program.
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Optimization of artificial photosynthesis for mass application: KIT researchers & partners develop concept for highly efficient photoreactor panels for assembly of low-cost modules. OA-paper in Joule!
KIT news in GermanHow will power-based fuels and chemicals replace the current fossil feedstock in future?
To achieve the climate targets, sector coupling and electrification based on renewable energies in the energy sector and industry must be optimized in a joint holistic approach. Up to now, 70 - 80 percent of basic chemical materials are taken from fossil sources. In the future, fuels and chemicals must come from renewable electricity for green hydrogen and renewable or recycled carbon sources such as CO2, biomass or waste.
In order to provide technologies, materials and processes for these challenges, the approximately 200 scientists in the "Power-based Fuels and Chemicals" subtopic are working together in six themes:
- MIEC membrane reactors
- Conversion of CO/CO2-rich syngas
- Technologies for LOHC - Liquid organic hydrogen carriers
- Direct electrochemical synthesis (Electocatalysis beyond hydrogen)
- Modular integrated plants
- Plasma reactors / Plasma activation of inert molecules
Prof. Ulrike Krewer (KIT), Prof. Olivier Guillon (FZJ) and Prof. Wilhelm Meulenberg (FZJ) welcomed the participants. The presentations and the poster session with 43 posters gave the opportunity for discussion and exchange of new ideas. The program also included a tour of the institutes and laboratories at FZJ.
The next meeting of Subtopics 3.2 '"Power-based Fuels and Chemicals" will take place in June 2024 at KIT. Many thanks for the hospitality and the excellent organization and preparation of the event by the colleagues from Forschungszentrum Jülich.
Picture a Scientist - Portrait Svetlana Korneychuk
The Hydrogen Researcher
"The energy of tomorrow is water, which has been broken down by electric current. The elements of water broken down in this way, hydrogen and oxygen, will secure the Earth’s energy supply far into the future”. For Jules Verne, this was a vision he wrote down in his 1875 novel "The Mysterious Island." Dr. Svetlana Korneychuk, however, likes to quote the French author because his vision is closer to reality today than ever before. With her work at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the researcher contributes to making hydrogen as an energy carrier affordable and suitable for everyday use.
Workshop "Grid Integration of Electrolysis" with KIT Technology and Grid Experts
Scientists of the Helmholtz programs ESD and MTET discussed scientific and technical issues of the grid integration of electrolysis and subsequent steps on May 12, 2023, at KIT Campus North. After a first scientific and technical exchange on the important key topics, working groups were formed to deal with the following issues in the future:
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What kind of transient data do we need/could we use? (experimental side)
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Co-simulation in open software sense (modeling)
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How to connect renewable energy sources to electrolysers in the most efficient way? The role of power electronics in connecting electrolysers to the grid.
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How to design electrolyzer systems? Operation of electrolyzer itself (SOH, interfaces,…)
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Dynamics of the downstream processes; role of storage as buffer
Workshop "Urban Resource Hub" - What are the challenges of recycling now and in the future?
The workshop "Urban Resource Hub" took place at the ZEISS Innovation Hub focused on the current and future challenges of recycling in a circular economy from the perspective of manufacturers (Sto Group), recyclers (Nordmineral-Recycling, Heinrich Feeß GmbH, Becker Elektrorecycling Chemnitz GmbH, Remondis SE) and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).
- "Technology, logistics, time and money - an insight into recycling WDVS (external thermal insulation composite systems)"
- "Building material versus waste"
- "Legal framework of circular economy"
- "Circular economy in the construction industry"
- "Potential for recyclable materials in household collection"
- "Circular economy as a building block of the sustainability strategy"
After a series of keynote presentations on the topic from the various sectors and on the legal framework, an exchange between the participants in small groups was moderated in the further course using the World Café method. Afterwards the results of each table were presented and discussed together. This exchange enabled Helmholtz-researchers of the Topic "Resource and Energy Efficiency" from HIF, HZDR and KIT to understand what academia can contribute: to identify systemic links and technologies that can be further developed through joint projects and in collaborations.
In the last part of the workshop, ideas for specific projects and calls for proposals at national (AiF, BMBF, BMWK) and EU level were developed in small groups in a "funding market".
Many thanks for the fruitful discussions and the open exchange to all participating guests from the companies, from the Federal Environment Agency and from the Helmholtz Centers HZDR, HIF and KIT!
High-Temperature Superconductivity - "In principle, there is no better way to transport or use electricity"
Research networks promote knowledge transfer!
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Prof. Tabea Arndt is curator of the Research Field High-Temperature Superconductivity of the Research Network "Industry and Commerce" which is a part of the Research Networks Energy of the BMWK.
More information about the research networks energy:
- Website Research Networks Energy (in German)
- Research Network Industry and Trade and Research Field HTSL (in German)
- more information on the research topic High-Temperature Superconductivity (in German)
- more information on the research policy and research funding of the BMWK (in German)
Zeitenwende Energy Security
3+1 initiatives to rapidly improve the security of supply of energy and energy materials. The fourth initiative is RESUR a Helmholtz platform for the design of robust energy systems and raw material supply.

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3D printing laboratory & Fischer Tropsch synthesis plant
Application and Research Fields Hydrogen
Hydrogen can be produced by renewable energy through electrolysis of water, methane pyrolysis of biogas or pyrolysis and gasification of residual biomass and waste. This green hydrogen can be used in the steel industry and for the production of basic chemicals and PtX products in the chemical industry. This allows a defossilization of the industrial sector, which until now has used fossil energy and fossil material sources. An application in the mobility sector is also possible where the direct use of electricity from renewable energies is impossible.
We are actively involved in the fields of production, storage, transport, distribution, application and cross-cutting issues. >>> More information
New KIT Graduate School ENZo
The new graduate school ENZo offers the next generation of young researchers the opportunity to apply interdisciplinary knowledge in application-oriented projects that can visibly contribute to the transformation of the energy system.
Future researchers are characterized not only by their desire to understand how developments and technologies can be embedded in the overall context of the energy system, but also by their desire to contribute to its sustainable design. MTET themes such as
- Renewable Energy,
- Sector Coupling Industry - Electricity, Heat, Chemical Energy (Sources), and
- Circular Economy - Use of Raw Materials and Energy
are holisticly combined in the "Real World Projects" with the important viewpoints and aspects such as
- Machine Learning and Digital Tools
- Technoeconomics Assessment, Interaction with Society, Acceptance and Social Developments.
Embedded in the manifold technological and scientific possibilities at the KIT Energy Center, ENZo creates a unique development environment for PhD students.

... combines electric, thermal & chemical energy flows as well as new information & communication technologies as the only infrastructure of this kind in Germany.
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Subject of the Science Year 2020/21 plays an important role in the MTET Topics Chemical Energy Carriers and Ressource & Energy Efficiency.
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MTET contents presented in the new look KIT issue: Closing the plastics loop / 42 / Hydrogen test center / 50 / Li extraction by geothermal plants / 57 /
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