DLR - Institute of Solar Research, Chair of Solar Components
Head of the Institute
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernhard Hoffschmidt
Fields of Study
Energy Engineering, Chemical Engineering
Main Focus
Components and materials for application in solar thermal plants that are used to generate electricity or process heat, to store thermal energy, or to produce fuels
Research Focus
The Head of the Chair of Solar Technology, Prof. Bernhard Hoffschmidt, is also Director of the DLR Institute of Solar Research. The goal of the cooperation between RWTH and DLR is to strengthen the scientific exchange between university and research institution. Students of RWTH Aachen University can apply for a place at one of the four locations of the institute in order to write their study, bachelor, master or doctoral thesis. The laboratories and research facilities of the DLR Institute for Solar Research are available for the research of the chair.
With around 150 employees, the Institute of Solar Research is one of the world's leading research institutions in the field of concentrating solar technologies. Together with partner companies from industry, the institute develops and improves components and systems for solar thermal power plants.
Its employees work at DLR locations in Cologne, Stuttgart and Jülich as well as at the largest European test center for concentrating solar technologies, CIEMAT’s Plataforma Solar in Almería/Spain (CIEMAT = Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas).
To the Institute’s laboratories and experimental facilities in Cologne belong a high-flux density solar heater (25 kW), a high-flux solar simulator (20 kW) and the QUARZ® qualification center. The Competence Center for Ceramic Materials and thermal Storage Technology in Energy Research CeraStorE® is also located in Cologne. Scientists from the fields of solar research, materials research and technical thermodynamics work here together to develop new energy storage methods. In Jülich, the institute operates two large plants: the only solar tower power plant in Germany and Synlight®, with a total thermal performance of 310 kilowatts the world's largest facility for the generation of artificial sunlight.
Contact
DLR - Institute of Solar Research, Chair of Solar Components
Linder Höhe
D-51147 Köln
Phone: +49 2203 601-
3200
Fax: +49 2203 601-4141