World's First SolBat Center for Solar Batteries Opens in Bavaria

Source: TUM

A groundbreaking center for solar batteries and optoionic technologies is being established in Bavaria, led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Max Planck Society (MPG) with support from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The SolBat Center will serve as a unique research hub focused on advancing energy storage systems and enhancing solar energy efficiency and flexibility.

Solar batteries, a key focus of the center, combine solar cells and batteries in one unit, directly storing sunlight’s energy without converting it into electricity. This technology can help mitigate daily and weather-related fluctuations in solar power and increase energy efficiency by improving ion cycles. Optoionics, a cutting-edge field combining optoelectronics and solid-state ionics, will also be explored for its potential in solar and optical technologies.

The SolBat Center will be led by renowned experts: Prof. Jennifer Rupp (TUM, Max Planck), Prof. Karsten Reuter (Max Planck, TUM), and Prof. Bettina Lotsch (Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research). They are also key members of the e-conversion Cluster of Excellence, which forms the foundation of the new center’s research efforts.

The SolBat Center represents a strategic partnership between TUM and the Max Planck Society, and aims to establish Bavaria and Germany as leaders in solar energy storage innovation. TUM President, Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann, underscored the center’s role in advancing the global energy transition, benefiting from TUM's world-class energy research infrastructure.

With its focus on solar batteries, optoionics, and sustainable energy technologies, the SolBat Center is set to drive innovation and push forward the next phase of the energy transition.