Exploring sustainable energy technologies: insights from the FIP Academy webinar

Incremental sheet metal forming, hollow shaft forming or gear forming for wind turbines, forming of sheet metal for solar thermal facades, hollow embossing rolling for fuel cell production and other technologies and their applications were presented in the lecture Production for And with Renewable Energy by Dieter Weise from the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, a regular participant of the FIP Academy. Research related to the heat production from renewable sources is very topical nowadays. However, the answer to the question of which technologies are the most suitable for this purpose is not simple.

"The appropriate response varies depending on the specific location, its requirements, and the resources available in that area. However, in general, I perceive storage and transfer solutions as the key to the current challenges. The partnership between VSB-Technical University of Ostrava, the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU has the potential to make a significant contribution in the future, especially in the realm of innovative heat storage solutions", Weise believes.

Martin Reli focuses on photocatalysis and its applications in various fields. During his presentation entitled Photocatalysis as Promising Way for Solving Energy Crisis, he showcased the utilisation of the innovative technology of photocatalysis to tackle the climate crisis. This included its potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, specifically carbon dioxide, as well as its role in hydrogen production.

"The disadvantage of photocatalysis is currently its low efficiency and, above all, the requirement of UV light to initiate the photocatalyst. On the other hand, the main advantage lies in the potential utilisation of sunlight. However, at present, most photocatalysts have insufficient efficiency when using solar radiation. Another advantage of photocatalysis is its broad applicability, whether it be for reducing carbon dioxide, generating hydrogen, self-cleaning surfaces, degrading xenobiotics from wastewater, or other applications," Reli explained.

As a member of a research group, Reli works together with several international partners from countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Greece, China, Taiwan, and Finland. However, they are always open to further collaborations. This is the reason why Reli saw the chance to showcase his research at the FIP Academy as a valuable opportunity.

Text: Martina Šaradínová, PR specialist for R&D

Illustration photo. Source: archive MR