Helmholtz-Institut Erlangen-Nürnberg für Erneuerbare Energien

🎧 Research to Listen to What if the biggest challenge for solar isn’t how we build it but how we rebuild it? Our new episode, “Why cradle to cradle,” explores why circular recycling is becoming essential for the future of photovoltaics. As PV production moves toward multi terawatt scale resource constraints especially silver and growing end of life waste are emerging as critical challenges. We discuss innovations in recycling glass polymers and silicon as well as the shift toward copper based designs. The key question is how we can ensure solar energy remains not just scalable but truly sustainable. The episode highlights circularity as a central strategy to enable long term growth and “perpetual utility” in the solar industry. The episode is based on research by Dr. Ian Marius Peters and his research team and was created with support from the AI tool NotebookLM as part of our effort to explore new ways of communicating science. 👉 Listen to the episode here: https://lnkd.in/dbDrFhdA #Podcast #SolarEnergy #EnergyTransition #Photovoltaics #CircularEconomy #Recycling #Sustainability #ScienceCommunication #BrightFutures #HIERN Cover of the HI ERN podcast "Bright Futures": Sonja Uhorczuk

🎧 Research to Listen to Solar energy is scaling fast, but material constraints are becoming increasingly important. In today’s dominant silicon-based photovoltaics, silver is a key bottleneck. Current industrial usage is around 15 mg per watt, and photovoltaics already account for roughly 10% of global silver production. To enable sustainable multi-terawatt scale deployment, this consumption would need to be reduced to below 5 mg per watt, effectively requiring a tripling in material efficiency. So what happens when climate goals encounter material reality? In the second episode of our “Bright Futures” podcast, we explore how the industry is responding to advance decarbonization and global electrification. The episode is based on research by Dr. Ian Marius Peters and his research team and was created with support from the AI tool NotebookLM as part of our effort to explore new ways of communicating science. 👉 Listen to the episode here: https://lnkd.in/djZHd5UW #Podcast #SolarEnergy #EnergyTransition #Photovoltaics #MaterialsScience #Decarbonization #ScienceCommunication #BrightFutures #HIERN #Sustainability Cover of the HI ERN podcast "Bright Futures": Sonja Uhorczuk

🎧 Research you can listen to We’ve just launched our podcast "Bright Futures", bringing energy research straight to your ears. Our first episode, "Strategic Global Photovoltaic Deployment", explores a key question for the energy transition: Why is solar power still mainly expanded in wealthy countries while sun-rich regions remain underutilized? ☀️ We break down the economic, climatic, and technical factors behind this imbalance and discuss how a more targeted global deployment could help reduce CO₂ emissions and accelerate the energy transition. The episode is based on research by Dr. Ian Marius Peters and his research team and was created with support from the AI tool NotebookLM as part of our effort to explore new ways of communicating science. 👉 Listen to the first episode here: https://lnkd.in/dRUE7rtD More episodes are already on the way. Stay tuned! #Podcast #EnergyTransition #SolarEnergy #ScienceCommunication #BrightFutures #HIERN #Sustainability Cover of the HI ERN podcast “Bright Futures”: Sonja Uhorczuk

🤝 Standing for diversity and democracy We at Helmholtz-Institut Erlangen-Nürnberg für Erneuerbare Energien have signed the "Erlanger Erklärung", a joint commitment to an open, respectful, and inclusive society in Erlangen. By signing the declaration, Prof. Dr. Karl Mayrhofer, our Executive Director and Head of the Electrocatalysis Research Division, reaffirms the core values that guide our work: ✔️ respect for human dignity ✔️ protection of fundamental and human rights ✔️ equal opportunities and participation for all For us, these values are more than just words, it’s a matter of course in our daily work to contribute to a collaborative and inclusive environment. 👉 Learn more about the "Erlanger Erklärung": https://lnkd.in/dcrq2UBP #Diversity #Inclusion #Democracy #Erlangen #HIERN #Respect #Collaboration Logo of the "Erlanger Erklärung": SCHACHZUG GmbH

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Congratulations Felix Uhrig

Networking and connecting — that was the main goal of our Alumni Event on November 27, 2025 in Erlangen! ✨ 💡 Dr. Bachir Bibouche shared how the Alumni Management/Career Center team at Forschungszentrum Jülich supports both current and former employees. 💡 Alumnus Daniel Berger from Siemens Digital Industries Software talked about his career journey and how he found the right path for himself. 💡 Hermann Weres and Heinz Gilliessen from the Jülich Works Council were also on site and took the opportunity to explain the tasks and responsibilities of the council. 🎉 The entire team surprised Karl Mayrhofer, Director of HI ERN, with balloons, confetti, and a small speech to celebrate his 10-year anniversary at the institute! After the official program, everyone enjoyed the networking part of the event — with delicious food, a fun quiz, and many inspiring conversations, all organized by our great PhD Council. 🤝✨ A big thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Alumni Event such a nice Event! 🙌💛