The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany is the largest solar research institute in Europe. With a staff of about 1400, we are committed to promoting a sustainable, economic, secure and socially just energy supply system based on renewable energy sources. We contribute to this through our main research areas of energy provision, energy distribution, energy storage and energy utilization. Through outstanding research results, successful industrial projects, spin-off companies and global collaborations, we are shaping the sustainable transformation of the energy system.
In the business areas of Photovoltaics, Energy Efficient Buildings, Solar Thermal Power Plants and Industrial Processes, Hydrogen Technologies and Electrical Energy Storage as well as Power Electronics, Grids and Smart Systems, the Institute develops materials, components, systems and processes. For this purpose, we have an excellent laboratory infrastructure at our disposal. In addition, we perform analyses, carry out studies, provide consultations and offer our clients testing and certification procedures.
The ISE Water Treatment and Material Separation Working Group, WTS, has been working in the field of sea and brackish water desalination with renewable energies to promote the Water – Energy – Food nexus for 20 years www.ise.fraunhofer.de/de/geschaeftsfelder/solarthermische-krafte-und-industrieverfahren/wasseraufbereitung-und- fabric separation.html . To this end, various technologies such as solar thermally driven membrane distillation and PV-powered reverse osmosis were developed, and tested in the field in more than 15 demonstration plants in eight countries. In recent years, the focus of the work has increasingly shifted to the area of industrial wastewater treatment, the treatment of brines and the extraction of valuable materials from liquid media to improve circularity and sustainable production.